This! I had 20 season tickets a few years ago and am down to 12. I would not doubt if we keep losing I will be down to 6 very soon. Groups that use to come to games with me just lost interest and would rather pick up a ticket on the secondary market when wanting to go to a game.
Losing interest
- Thread starter newwavedave1
- Start date
There's a huge difference between losing interest and bailing on the team/program.
I made a lengthy post on the other board stating how after 10 years of being a nut a slight sense of disinterest was creeping in and some people acted as if I was quitting.
I made a lengthy post on the other board stating how after 10 years of being a nut a slight sense of disinterest was creeping in and some people acted as if I was quitting.
I was this way with Rutgers basketball until last year.
It is amazing what a good coaching staff and becoming competitive will do for ones' interest.
Same here Albany from Schenectady...I'm looking forward to a return to "76" type season thrills...until then I was basically purely football.....from the streets of the North Ward to LA and Hell's Kitchen to here upstate...RU always stays in my heart...
Just to put everything into perspective about us going BIG-TIME...the administration told us we were going to be playing with the big boys but on a little boy budget...that was back in the mid to late 70's... small things were done ...no real investment of $$$$...it is why we are so far behind ...we have been attempting since the early to mid 2000's to make the jump...without the donations and B1G tv money we don't stand a chance...we are 40 years behind the times in football ....it would not matter whether or not we were still in the BIG EAST...we would still be fighting to survive against those teams...
Unreal the depths WBB has dropped too..??? WTF happened to CVS? We could at least count on WBB to carry the banner in down years since Theresa Shank Grentz.
It's not about the full share (see Indiana). It's about the long head start (50 years or more) the football factories have had in building the brand, expanding stadiums, attracting fans, winning, etc.
We certainly could find more $$ to spread around the program, but the question is: would that change the usual Big10 standings ? Or would it be a waste of money ?
No easy answers.
We certainly could find more $$ to spread around the program, but the question is: would that change the usual Big10 standings ? Or would it be a waste of money ?
No easy answers.
Totally agree!
I will always be a RU football fan but to continue to shell out $$$ to see a total rebuild may be too much. Life is too short. I dropped my season tickets after Shea's second year and didn't come back until 2006. The way this year is going, I may follow this course again.
So your saying if we were 2-0 right now we'd have a well out crowd for ... Morgan State? This was circled on the calendar for some fans as a week to skip from the get-go.
There are definitely certain losses that demoralize the fanbase more than others. The loss to PSU in 2014 was definitely demoralizing. We were never more juiced as a fanbase (since 2006) as we were on that evening. And if we win that game I think we have more fans today (I know that sounds crazy...but I truly believe it).
The other gut wrenchers where we definitely demoralized the hell out of the fanbase were 2009 Cincy, 2010 Tulane, 2012 UL, 2016 Michigan, and, yes, 2017 EMU. Those losses just absolutely destroyed, each in their own way, any semblance of upward momentum.
And to the OP's point, we've have so few games as of late that have done the opposite -- that have invigorated the base. By my count, we've had 2012 Cincy and Ark, 2013 Ark, 2014 Michigan, Maryland, Washington St (In retrospect, was a good year)
The other gut wrenchers where we definitely demoralized the hell out of the fanbase were 2009 Cincy, 2010 Tulane, 2012 UL, 2016 Michigan, and, yes, 2017 EMU. Those losses just absolutely destroyed, each in their own way, any semblance of upward momentum.
And to the OP's point, we've have so few games as of late that have done the opposite -- that have invigorated the base. By my count, we've had 2012 Cincy and Ark, 2013 Ark, 2014 Michigan, Maryland, Washington St (In retrospect, was a good year)
If anybody thinks that all of the B1G money when it gets here will be invested back into the football program, there is a bridge in Brooklyn I would like to sell you. In addition, while we are waiting to get a portion of the B1G money, most of it will be used by the athletic department for other purposes, we fall further behind our B1G conference mates in terms of investments in football. We need Ash to have the program at least treading water, not drowning in loss after loss.
Agreed and that has me concerned. At least Flood was able to win those type of games, ok with better players.
If we can not pull that type of upset soon, my feeling is the fans may check out until a new coach is hired...
This is such a BS post considering who it comes from. A guy who finds excuses around every corner and rationalizes every negative, suddenly becomes a hard-*** when a guy admits this is getting to him in a decidedly "non-flame" post. Give me a break.
It's not a paper-cut. It's an accumulation of losing that takes it's toll on people. The guy didn't say he was going to stop being a fan. He admitted the state of the program was getting to him and he was losing interest.
It's an understandable reaction for people who have been around here for a long time. We've seen it before - over and over.
Whatever, dude. Don't worry, be happy. See the glass as half full, not half empty. Just around the corner to the light of day.
You are going to rationalize the OP: "Thinking we may never be anything but cellar dwellers in the B1G East." Sorry, but this is a total loser mentality that seems to permeate some in our fanbase.
If you knew me and been through what I have been through, maybe you would understand. I choose to look at the positives in life, and opportunities ahead, instead of dwelling on negatives. Cry in your beer if you want to, but it ain't going to rain on my parade. Have a nice day. Peace out.
At least if the money gets spread around Athletics as a whole, maybe our entire Athletics program stops sucking as a whole. We don't just have bad football...we have 19 other bad sports (I'm leaving out wrestling and MLAX). I don't think we have nattys in any sport we play, ever. Maybe if we start winning conference championships and National championships in some of the lesser sports, Rutgers can shed the association with "perpetual losers".
I think it is undeniable that enthusiasm and interest is down. I think even on this forum there is less interest than in prior years. Winning will cure that. It is a cycle and right now we are in a down one. And while I understand that our down cycles seem to last an eternity, nothing lasts forever. Keep the faith and never give up.
Sounds realistic.
For me, the big turning point wasn't on the field - it was when Bob Mulcahy got fired over nothing. Its a beautiful thing when a football coach, AD and college president are on the same page. You get firing on all cylinders and all the fragments get pulled to order around the center. As a recruit, fan, parent, coach hire etc its more appealing when you see the entire university making a move to put football on a pedestal. That synergy is what eventually lead to stadium expansion, B1G entry etc
When media bushwhacked Schiano and Mulcahy - and McCormack fired Mulchay - things would never be the same. Schiano took a lot of confidence from having McCormack behind the program. Losing that was bad - losing it while Mulchay was thrown under the bus over trivialities was worse. Greg took all that more personal than he let on. All the bunker mentality FAMILY stuff came out of that. Schiano would have just gone to Michigan
Athletics and Academics: Perfect Together
Richard L. McCormick, President
As submitted; published in the Star-Ledger on February 3, 2008
"In Charlottesville, crowds of 60,000 watch the University of Virginia Cavaliers play winning football in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In Ann Arbor, more than 100,000 pack the University of Michigan stadium to see the Wolverines compete in the Big Ten. In Berkeley, the University of California Golden Bears draw more than 70,000 fans. These state universities have world-class academic reputations. They also recognize the pride and excitement that outstanding, well-supported football programs bring to their campuses, their alumni, and their states. New Jersey deserves a state university whose educational distinction and gridiron greatness are both statewide passions, and expanding Rutgers Stadium moves us in this direction."
http://richardlmccormick.rutgers.edu/writings/speeches/athletics-and-academics-perfect-together
Mulcahy defends his record as Rutgers AD; insists he did nothing wrong
"We have a habit in this state, our political leadership, of trying to tear apart, for political gain, the institutions that seem to rise up," Mulcahy said. "It's been said that we eat our own. It's a sad commentary...
"The fans of Rutgers are terrific," Mulcahy said. "They have stood by me, they have encouraged me, and they're the people that I am delighted we were able to make happy. That's a big piece of my satisfaction."
He made no apologies for carrying out a mandate to bring big-time football to Rutgers, saying it has given New Jerseyans a sense of identity.
"We've been able to create that sense of identity," Mulcahy said. "The 'Rs' that you see on cars, the billboards, all of these things created a brand of football for this state. Wherever I went, people would come to me and say 'thank you,' whether they were Rutgers people or whether they weren't."..
"When he took over the athletic department and where it is today is like from hell to heaven," said Codey (D-Essex), citing the success of not just the football and women's basketball teams, but the academic achievement of student athletes.
"I'm just shocked that he was summarily let go," Codey said. "When you consider all this gentleman's service to the state of New Jersey and what he gave to the university, for him to be treated like this is just something that never, ever should have happened."
http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2008/12/mulcahy_defends_his_record_as.html
This is such a dumb post. The losing wears on many of us after being fans for so many years. I always looked forward to our games but now I am going into each game expecting us to lose. I still root for the team and want them to win but I'm tired of the freaking losing! The worst part is my kids at 11 and 13 are now indifferent to their state team because the team has stunk for the last few years.
So sick of hearing about 5 year rebuilds where other teams do it in 2 or 3 years.
No,
That's called a fan who's sick of the same crap for 25 years and is tired of it. How many years do you expect people to hang in there until the administration gets things right?
And "Thinking we may never be anything but cellar dwellers in the B1G East." is not a dumb post? Got it.
That's what prompted my response. You know what makes some of us tired? The constant drumbeat of some posters thinking/saying that RU is going to suck forever. Can understand people being disappointed with the EMU game. But the over the top statement like the one in bold is not necessary. I have my own doubts and questions about game day coaching decisions, so I am not all sunshine and puppy dogs, but I am not making any grand pronouncements that we are never going to get better.
I'd like to clear something up. I will always be a Rutgers fan, but my level of enthusiasm and interest is waning. Love the discussion that my post has created, revealing the many states of mind on this board.
Wow - for folks who lost interest - there seems to be a lot of interest in this thread.
I do believe there will be an upset or perhaps two this year. And you know what - you will want to say you were there.
Were you there for the Navy win that got us a bowl berth
were you there when we beat Va Tech 50-49
were you ... you get the picture.
I do believe there will be an upset or perhaps two this year. And you know what - you will want to say you were there.
Were you there for the Navy win that got us a bowl berth
were you there when we beat Va Tech 50-49
were you ... you get the picture.
Was there for the Va Tech game. Probably the most exciting finish of a Rutgers game that I have seen.
according to most here, until you die.
or you can just not make sports a life-or-death situation.
45 years for me, I'm growing tired and bored of bad football.
I have got about 40 years invested myself so I know where you are coming from. Sadly for me I am a dead ender.
Go to MLAX games! The team is fun and the games are exciting. And the team plays in a way you have not seen most RU teams play. Fast and aggressive. Full systems go at all times. It's very refreshing, win or lose.
Despite the occasional good seasons, teams like Purdue (2 Rose Bowl appearances) and Indiana (1 Rose Bowl appearance) are considered "cellar dwellers" in the B1G. No getting around it. To be concerned that RU will not raise the level of perception of the football brand higher than these programs in many of our lifetimes is not really a dumb post. More money is not the cure-all for everything and both past and recent history suggest it is a real possibility.
I see you joined here in 2011. How many years have you been a season ticket holder?
glad I'm not the only "soft" 40 year + supporter of Ru Football.
Things I'd like to feel confident in:
We could make a field goal.
The punt team could flip the field.
The kickoff tean will not give up a big play.
We will score when we get the ball back.
Our QB will win this one for us.
No way they march up the field on our defense.
We will get this first down, I know it
I do know these things happen, but it would be lots of fun if we were ever really confident one day.
We could make a field goal.
The punt team could flip the field.
The kickoff tean will not give up a big play.
We will score when we get the ball back.
Our QB will win this one for us.
No way they march up the field on our defense.
We will get this first down, I know it
I do know these things happen, but it would be lots of fun if we were ever really confident one day.