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The (attendance) numbers don't lie [Ehrlick]

MrTitleist

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http://trib.com/opinion/columns/the-attendance-numbers-don-t-lie-for-wyoming-football/article_3cbc3ea7-e94d-582e-ac93-35c1649238c0.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Yeesh......Those are Big Sky numbers right there.

Hell, some Big Sky schools would be offended by that comment^^^ 6K for the last game? This isn't earth-shattering stuff though....the WMS capacity is supposedly at 29,181 when its completely packed. So 30K+ counting the fans on ground level. That's SOLD OUT......so when games like SDSU come around late in the season and UW claims 13K showed up, it certainly doesn't look like it to the untrained eye with the mass ocean of silver seats.
 
It really comes down to common sense. Until Wyoming puts together something worth watching and investing in you won't see attendance numbers above what we had last year.

This isn't rocket science, the vast majority of our fan base has to travel and therefore they want to see a winning product before they invest boat loads of money. I know if I lived in the Big Horn Basin I wouldn't spend the money to drive all the way down to Laramie to see our butts get handed to us. One season of winning won't do it either, you must have consistent winning seasons and then you will see people come out in droves.

Weather will always be an issue late in the season and it has less to do with a cold stadium and more to do with not wanting to travel questionable roads. Although I will admit that as a student here the student section is pretty sparse during cold weather games... again I think the solution to this problem is a better product on the field.
 
I don't entirely buy it, I was at some of these games(2010 Southern Utah, Boise st, 2011 Weber st, Texas st, Nebraska) Doesn't sound right to me. Just thank god we have a 15000 seat basketball arena.
 
I'm not sure how anyone could be surprised, First 2 games had solid attendance as we completely fell apart so did the attendance it's pretty common that no one wants to come out in cold weather and watch a team lose.
 
Pretty simple cause/affect at work here and it's not just Wyoming, it's every place. If you have a winning product people will come and watch, if not they won't. Especially when it involves more than just ticket money as it does with the Cowboys. As we all know for a lot of people to go to Laramie it involves gas money, food money and hotel, not to mention the majority of their weekend.
I think people in general want to support the football program, and I don't think it would take long either. If the Pokes even were to put together 2 to 3 consecutive very good football seasons (8-10 wins) that fourth season one would start to reap the benifits attendance wise.
For example if the Pokes could've followed up the 2011 season with another 8+ win season this last season along with another bowl appearance and then do the same in 2013, that the 2014 season would see plenty of butts in the seats. Just my thought, maybe I'm completely out of touch with the state since I haven't lived their in 17+ years.
 
The weather concept is kind of perplexing to me.. I've watched Montana playoff games in <10 degree weather and the stadium was jam packed.. I'd guess about half of the 25000 people travel from elsewhere to watch the game. The roads and weather are pretty fickle here, maybe less so than Laramie, but still not fun if you're driving over from Eastern Washington or the Butte or Great Falls areas. Cold as shit isn't really an excuse for us not to show up to a game.. easy to bundle up, and easy to get some liquid coolant in you. I believe an apathetic fanbase is mostly to blame.
 
MrTitleist said:
The weather concept is kind of perplexing to me.. I've watched Montana playoff games in <10 degree weather and the stadium was jam packed.. I'd guess about half of the 25000 people travel from elsewhere to watch the game. The roads and weather are pretty fickle here, maybe less so than Laramie, but still not fun if you're driving over from Eastern Washington or the Butte or Great Falls areas. Cold as shit isn't really an excuse for us not to show up to a game.. easy to bundle up, and easy to get some liquid coolant in you. I believe an apathetic fanbase is mostly to blame.

It would help attendance if they allowed beer in the stadium.
 
MrTitleist said:
The weather concept is kind of perplexing to me.. I've watched Montana playoff games in <10 degree weather and the stadium was jam packed.. I'd guess about half of the 25000 people travel from elsewhere to watch the game. The roads and weather are pretty fickle here, maybe less so than Laramie, but still not fun if you're driving over from Eastern Washington or the Butte or Great Falls areas. Cold as shit isn't really an excuse for us not to show up to a game.. easy to bundle up, and easy to get some liquid coolant in you. I believe an apathetic fanbase is mostly to blame.
We do have the summit and some idiot trucker doing 70mph down it causes accidents, especially in the winter.

Plus Laramie is only 30,000 people with the nearest city being on the other side of the summit. And in winter, even without a crash, the summit can be closed for quite awhile.
 
Wyokie said:
MrTitleist said:
The weather concept is kind of perplexing to me.. I've watched Montana playoff games in <10 degree weather and the stadium was jam packed.. I'd guess about half of the 25000 people travel from elsewhere to watch the game. The roads and weather are pretty fickle here, maybe less so than Laramie, but still not fun if you're driving over from Eastern Washington or the Butte or Great Falls areas. Cold as shit isn't really an excuse for us not to show up to a game.. easy to bundle up, and easy to get some liquid coolant in you. I believe an apathetic fanbase is mostly to blame.

It would help attendance if they allowed beer in the stadium.


Yeah, that one perplexes me to this day. Still don't understand why they don't. The athletic program could make a lot of money off the sale of it to boot, all it would take would be to cut off sale of it at the end of the 3rd quarter. I would think it would increase attendance even if it were only a little bit.
 
I've never been in a college stadium that allowed beer sales.. that didn't seem to steer people away, nor did people need the extra help getting a little twisted.
 
MrTitleist said:
I've never been in a college stadium that allowed beer sales.. that didn't seem to steer people away, nor did people need the extra help getting a little twisted.
Sam Boyd Stadium (UNLV) does.
 
fromolwyoming said:
MrTitleist said:
I've never been in a college stadium that allowed beer sales.. that didn't seem to steer people away, nor did people need the extra help getting a little twisted.
Sam Boyd Stadium (UNLV) does.

and Jack Daniels
 
I'm on the fence about alcohol being sold at the games. It would be a big money maker but something tells me what is already a questionable family atmosphere would be even worse :) Just win and all will be better, it doesn't matter if you are BYU or University of Idaho, if you win and win consistently you will pack your stadium. Nobody wants to spend a ton of cash just to get wooped.
 
gbpoke said:
I could be wrong, but I think Camp Randall does as well.

Apparently I was wrong, Camp Randall doesn't allow alcohol in their stadium. However, West Virginia does now as of this season.
 

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