We
pretty crappy thing we did losing a home and home with them so we could take $1M from Arkansas.
Attendance Concerns?
- Thread starter Babe the Blue Ox_rivals
- Start date
Junkie: we get some say, though not much, notice my reply was mostly about who we play. However I know non-conference is way more flexible. If I remember correctly we agreed to move the Minn game and got a lil extra cash for it.
Mainly my point about the day was the home opener which we usually have a lot more control over. Becoming the college football team that opens the season would have some value (as that first thursday/friday game). Especially if we have a solid TV type opponent. This would raise the local and national recognition of our program.
Mainly my point about the day was the home opener which we usually have a lot more control over. Becoming the college football team that opens the season would have some value (as that first thursday/friday game). Especially if we have a solid TV type opponent. This would raise the local and national recognition of our program.
The most recent Thursday opener was Tulane in 2014. 19032. After a really long streak of opening on the road.
I'd expect much less interest for an FCS now. Regardless of day or weekend or time. Cincinnati's Thursday FCS opener this year was horrific attendance.
2006 Thursday opener was coming off the 2005 LB win and official resurrection of the program and frankly an average of 4500 more fans per game overall that season than where we are now. We managed 28000+ for UTEP that year. Also very few Thursday games in general back then, little competition.
I'd expect much less interest for an FCS now. Regardless of day or weekend or time. Cincinnati's Thursday FCS opener this year was horrific attendance.
2006 Thursday opener was coming off the 2005 LB win and official resurrection of the program and frankly an average of 4500 more fans per game overall that season than where we are now. We managed 28000+ for UTEP that year. Also very few Thursday games in general back then, little competition.
Last edited:
I scrolled through all those attendance #s, but didn't see that Wednesday night (?) game against Southern Miss. I remember that being one helluva party so I would've guessed the attendance to be 22K to 25K. Thinking that was '05 or '06.
Junkie, the highest attendance bump trends towards the first game of the season regardless of opponent or day. So if we have an FCS game the opener in terms of attendance should be the first home game, its a 2-3 thousand bump.
Weekday nights seem to do better (my theory is those aren't against OU or OSU games and we get a few thousand casual fans who go to Stillwater or Norman usually).
Minn was a great crowd and I recall several people (no scientific polling) attending games that year who did so after experiencing the thurs night opener. It was also on Espn.
LEC, I thought so too, but the Wed night game (middle of the year game) was only 20,000 plus. I put up our best attended home conference game on all of the years and made notes about other things that may have effected attendance that we talked about, win streaks, big wins, losing streaks, coaching changes, bowl games, and if a specific opponent we mentioned was on there (Houston, BYU, La Tech, UL Monroe, etc)
Weekday nights seem to do better (my theory is those aren't against OU or OSU games and we get a few thousand casual fans who go to Stillwater or Norman usually).
Minn was a great crowd and I recall several people (no scientific polling) attending games that year who did so after experiencing the thurs night opener. It was also on Espn.
LEC, I thought so too, but the Wed night game (middle of the year game) was only 20,000 plus. I put up our best attended home conference game on all of the years and made notes about other things that may have effected attendance that we talked about, win streaks, big wins, losing streaks, coaching changes, bowl games, and if a specific opponent we mentioned was on there (Houston, BYU, La Tech, UL Monroe, etc)
Tuesday, October 6, 2006. Tulsa 20 - So Miss 6. Attendance - 20,635
You've lost me. I literally don't know what you're arguing for if day/time/opponent don't move the needle.
I am arguing for an opening home game change.
1) IF we play a FCS team we should play them for the first game. When they are the second home game attendance drops a couple thousand from previous FCS games that were the first game the previous year.
2) No matter who the opponent is we should seriously consider a Thursday or Friday night opener. Early in the year it wont compete with high school football. More coverage as the only game or two. It means local fans of other teams (OU, OSU, Texas, Arkansas, K-State, etc) are more likely to check the game out and attend. This is a chance to build casual and dedicated fans.
I would also like this:
3) More selection of opponents non conference. Former MVC teams, missouri state (swmsu) in particular seems to do better than say central arkansas NC A&T's. North Texas is a better option than the Louisiana schools, in fact Texas schools regardless of division do better than Louisiana and Arkansas teams. Fresno and New Mexico do better than SJSU and Bowling Green. Boise st, BYU do better than a iowa st or kansas. The comparison teams are the same level in national perception but thousands different in attendance.
4) A schedule that ensures one ooc home game against a top level G5 or a P5 opponent (which will more often than not be OU or OSU) every year.
I think doing all of these will bump our attendance towards the 24-25k mark, several times we have had 21-22k a few thousand more at a game here or there (roughly 2k difference in FCS game placement, 2k difference in MVC vs Arkansas FCS teams, 3k between Boise St/BYU vs KU/ISU). If we can win some hearts and minds in those opening games not being set against other teams we will see constant growth and the city/school gap close, TU will be everyones second team and more peoples first team in Tulsa.
1) IF we play a FCS team we should play them for the first game. When they are the second home game attendance drops a couple thousand from previous FCS games that were the first game the previous year.
2) No matter who the opponent is we should seriously consider a Thursday or Friday night opener. Early in the year it wont compete with high school football. More coverage as the only game or two. It means local fans of other teams (OU, OSU, Texas, Arkansas, K-State, etc) are more likely to check the game out and attend. This is a chance to build casual and dedicated fans.
I would also like this:
3) More selection of opponents non conference. Former MVC teams, missouri state (swmsu) in particular seems to do better than say central arkansas NC A&T's. North Texas is a better option than the Louisiana schools, in fact Texas schools regardless of division do better than Louisiana and Arkansas teams. Fresno and New Mexico do better than SJSU and Bowling Green. Boise st, BYU do better than a iowa st or kansas. The comparison teams are the same level in national perception but thousands different in attendance.
4) A schedule that ensures one ooc home game against a top level G5 or a P5 opponent (which will more often than not be OU or OSU) every year.
I think doing all of these will bump our attendance towards the 24-25k mark, several times we have had 21-22k a few thousand more at a game here or there (roughly 2k difference in FCS game placement, 2k difference in MVC vs Arkansas FCS teams, 3k between Boise St/BYU vs KU/ISU). If we can win some hearts and minds in those opening games not being set against other teams we will see constant growth and the city/school gap close, TU will be everyones second team and more peoples first team in Tulsa.
Any Friday night is a bad idea. High Schools now have the option to schedule an opening game on "Zero Week" which is the last Friday in August.
Thursday openers are pretty well received, especially if it is the Thursday of Labor Day weekend.
and i thought selling beer in the stadium was supposed to solve our attendance problems...silly me....
Eh I dont see a lot of zero week games coming, those are often short weeks in the area school system. Also the kids often have an early Friday off when most schools will then play on Thurs night. I agree Thurs are a more sure thing to avoid conflict. But a school off friday of a fall break would be ideal.
1991 tougher..
okie state (win 13-7)
Kansas
#15 tamu
#1 Miami
San Diego St with Marshall Faulk in freedom bowl
All due respect to Marshall Faulk, but that is two ranked teams. Both of those years have four. 2011 included 3 top ten teams in the first month. Last year was the best conference/division we have ever been in, and a solid New Mexico bowl team, a solid Cinnci, and a solid VT in the bowl game.
Really? BA, Jenks, Owasso and Union all played zero week games this year. BA and Union have already announced that they will meet during that week next year. Friday is always a bad idea for a TU game.
1991 also had 7 home games, with an average home attendance of over 31,000 per game.
A series I would like to see would be with Missouri again. I moved here from Missouri in the late 70s. My very first TU game to attend was that Missouri game. A good friend of mine and a TU alumni invited me. I was still a die hard Tiger fan but since I now lived in Tulsa, I wanted to pull for them also. I applauded all the scoring no matter which team did it. I think the attendance at that game was one of the largest in TU history.
So since we're not the AD with the ability to schedule our opponents or pick time slots, what's the general consensus for the future of the program if our attendance doesn't pick up to a respectable number? Football is the bellwether program from which all other sports draw from correct? Is our conference strong enough to remain relevant for the next few seasons? Will our attendance get us ejected if it doesn't pick up? Seems like we win championships in most other sports besides football and basketball. Can we keep coasting with the current status quo and still have TU football for the rest of my functional years as a young adult?
We'll see on zero week games, i think staff and administration will be the ones who have an issue with it. Especially with tighting budgets forcing schools to be more flexible in scheduling classes. Otherwise we might end up with schools playing games before classes start.
True but i would hope TU has someone there noticing these trends.
As far as things we can do, it seems like getting people to go with you, early in the season, would probably be best. Followed by more of an event to pair with games. The band involvement idea sounded good. Maybe select a couple days a year where the youth football teams flag or tackle play games before the tu games on saturdays. Then the players stay for free, probably bring in a few life long fans that way, kids playing on the field, growing up watching in the stands.
True but i would hope TU has someone there noticing these trends.
As far as things we can do, it seems like getting people to go with you, early in the season, would probably be best. Followed by more of an event to pair with games. The band involvement idea sounded good. Maybe select a couple days a year where the youth football teams flag or tackle play games before the tu games on saturdays. Then the players stay for free, probably bring in a few life long fans that way, kids playing on the field, growing up watching in the stands.
Because we cannot affect scheduling (especially bc so much of it is already set), all the other ideas and improvements are what's left in the near future.
I was thinking '91 was tough too then I looked up the records and OSUand Kansas were both horrid that year.
well this thread can die if the fresneck game continues the way it is....who the hell wants to watch us!!!!!
Hmmm, well we won in dramatic fashion. Has to be the biggest come from behind win ever down 31?
I would add.... why not have a walk up promotion? If tickets are unsold 30 min before kick, offer them at discount or 2 for 1 type deals? Why let the seats go empty? Raffle off pair of season tickets for the next season for people who buy singles during current season. More singles they buy, more chances they have to win raffle. Hold multiple raffles throughout season. My point is, more single games casuals attend, greater chance they come back or eventually buy season packages. Don't let seats go empty, get butts in stadium! Butts in seats at 50% full price > empty seats and unsold.
TX
Last edited:
TU's biggest fear should be keeping or attracting quality HC's due to perceived lack of support. No one wants to play or coach in front of an empty half arse game day experience, with minimal HFA.
TX
If today's game gets the local coverage it deserves, then the next games attendance will show it.
If the media can make us care about starving Ethiopians and Syrian refugees, then by freakin god they can make Tulsa care about Tulsa football.
If the media can make us care about starving Ethiopians and Syrian refugees, then by freakin god they can make Tulsa care about Tulsa football.
Because pre-sales (season ticket holders, package buyers, sponsors, etc) show the strength and demand of your product.
If people know they can wait until right before or after kickoff to get a hefty discount, where is the benefit in purchasing a package?
We should be sitting on a nice record for the first home game. Attendance should continue to go up with the W's.
The addition of beer sales is an admission of two things:
1) That mega booster donations are down - way down. They are trying to make up for the loss of revenue.
2) That TU finally gets it. The program will die unless you offer amenities that people want to enjoy. The booster money is band aid to the problem, not the solution. If they offer things people want, then going to the games will become a part of their lives. They will buy premium seats months in advance. If you keep offering disgusting, dark, and out dated amenities like the women's restrooms and stale popcorn like it is a 1931 state fair, you will continue to have the public turndown the opportunity to go to the games for free. Scheduling around every potential conflict (or excusing the failure to attract the public because of perceived conflicts) just misses the point and doesnt offer a solution. Nobody went to the Drillers games. They built a new stadium and filled it with things people want. Boom. Attendance. This isn't rocket science.
1) That mega booster donations are down - way down. They are trying to make up for the loss of revenue.
2) That TU finally gets it. The program will die unless you offer amenities that people want to enjoy. The booster money is band aid to the problem, not the solution. If they offer things people want, then going to the games will become a part of their lives. They will buy premium seats months in advance. If you keep offering disgusting, dark, and out dated amenities like the women's restrooms and stale popcorn like it is a 1931 state fair, you will continue to have the public turndown the opportunity to go to the games for free. Scheduling around every potential conflict (or excusing the failure to attract the public because of perceived conflicts) just misses the point and doesnt offer a solution. Nobody went to the Drillers games. They built a new stadium and filled it with things people want. Boom. Attendance. This isn't rocket science.
Since moving to ONEOK, they've been a consistent #2 in average attendance in the league, after being #6 the two last years at the fairgrounds with a larger capacity. But it certainly wasn't empty and they've always been great on promotions.
While I can see donations being down with the oil market, I don't think it necessarily means that's the case. Recall we considered beer sales before, the rumor I heard was that a large donor stepped in and made it worth their while to NOT sell beer. It wasn't like there was a groundswell of large donors raising a fuss about it.
Plus, the patricians have always enjoyed "refreshments" in their special seating. Hard to believe a huge number of those people are against alcohol sales and then come and sip their cocktails while watching TV... I mean watching the TU game.
Would this be something to consider?
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/sports/ncaafootball/to-put-more-students-in-the-seats-colleges-cue-the-dj.html
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/sports/ncaafootball/to-put-more-students-in-the-seats-colleges-cue-the-dj.html
God I hope not... The crap music they play in between plays is almost enough to keep me away as it is. We don't need some inner-city gimmick, we need a solid, confident, winning team which we have again for the first time since Blankenship's first year.
They did this for the past season or 2 at basketball. Student attendance has improved but I think that's mostly due to free iPads and pizza at basically every home game too for students.
A solid DJ playing high energy music between plays helps keep the energy level high. Absolutely should do it.
Yes! My Grand Kids would love it. DJ a must to keep the kids in the stands interested and coming back for more.
They hadn't been doing that quite as much as they did during the end of Woj. The product on the court brought the students back.
They did it under Danny Manning & year 1 of Haith. It wasn't a thing with Woj. It also didn't do anything. Student attendance has been pretty consistent regardless and may have even been higher last season than any under Manning.