Post by yoteforever on Mar 24, 2011 10:47:31 GMT -6
First of all, I do want to say that I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to play ball at USD, and get a business degree. They were some of the best years of my life. I love the school with all my heart, but something is wrong and I want to have some serious discussions on a plan to fix it.
We have the greatest opportunity as fans coming up in the very near future. Our football team will compete in the MVC in 2012, and the rest of our sports will compete in The Summit starting next fall/winter. The campus is going through what I think is an amazing transformation with new facilities, dorms, health center, etc. Vermillion is changing quite a bit as well. But with all the positive going on, it seems like we can't gain much traction in the promotion and attendance at sporting events.
We get on here and discuss different ideas, but I am beginning to believe that something drastic is going to have to change at the very core of whats wrong. And that is fan apathy. Students appear to not give a crap whether they go or not. Attendance to games from adults I think overall is very poor. The fans that do go just sit on their butts and don't provide for a "home court advantage".
Our administration I think is trying to address these issues, but at some point there isn't much they can do. Why the apathy does everyone think? People that come from Sioux Falls complain about the drive. Heck, I drive 2+ hours to every game I go to. The money issue isn't as bad for me as some I'm sure, but I have to think overall a ticket at USD to any sporting event is a good bargain for entertainment #1, and also a great chance to reunite with old friends in new settings. It probably takes $20 gas to go back and forth, and the tickets are cheap in comparison to Big 12 schools, or Big 10 schools.
We all want to build a new arena, and I think we should. But in reality, how in Gods name can we afford it? I understand corporate sponsors are going to be needed, and boosters to fill out the remaining needs, but if that still translates into 300-400 people max at a game, did we really do ourselves a favor?
The bottom line for me in all candor is can this situation change? If so, how? And what do we really need to do to build "core" fan bases for our respective sports. I know of some Sioux Falls people (fans) that knock themselves out to try and make it happen. The Howling Pack board works hard at promoting USD. Yet so many people are apathetic towards USD. I am referring to former athletes, coaches, and favored alums. WHY?
Can we (the loyal fans) do a darned thing to make this happen?
We have the greatest opportunity as fans coming up in the very near future. Our football team will compete in the MVC in 2012, and the rest of our sports will compete in The Summit starting next fall/winter. The campus is going through what I think is an amazing transformation with new facilities, dorms, health center, etc. Vermillion is changing quite a bit as well. But with all the positive going on, it seems like we can't gain much traction in the promotion and attendance at sporting events.
We get on here and discuss different ideas, but I am beginning to believe that something drastic is going to have to change at the very core of whats wrong. And that is fan apathy. Students appear to not give a crap whether they go or not. Attendance to games from adults I think overall is very poor. The fans that do go just sit on their butts and don't provide for a "home court advantage".
Our administration I think is trying to address these issues, but at some point there isn't much they can do. Why the apathy does everyone think? People that come from Sioux Falls complain about the drive. Heck, I drive 2+ hours to every game I go to. The money issue isn't as bad for me as some I'm sure, but I have to think overall a ticket at USD to any sporting event is a good bargain for entertainment #1, and also a great chance to reunite with old friends in new settings. It probably takes $20 gas to go back and forth, and the tickets are cheap in comparison to Big 12 schools, or Big 10 schools.
We all want to build a new arena, and I think we should. But in reality, how in Gods name can we afford it? I understand corporate sponsors are going to be needed, and boosters to fill out the remaining needs, but if that still translates into 300-400 people max at a game, did we really do ourselves a favor?
The bottom line for me in all candor is can this situation change? If so, how? And what do we really need to do to build "core" fan bases for our respective sports. I know of some Sioux Falls people (fans) that knock themselves out to try and make it happen. The Howling Pack board works hard at promoting USD. Yet so many people are apathetic towards USD. I am referring to former athletes, coaches, and favored alums. WHY?
Can we (the loyal fans) do a darned thing to make this happen?