Positive thread on attendance

[garddawg]

I wish I was there but making it there from Atlanta back to back is not possible yet.

However, using the attendance stats from our past games this year so far we are averaging almost 20,000 a game. Would I like it to be higher? Sure, we all would. But I think it also exposes some lies our Sunbelt neighbors have been trying to convince us of.

NLULM is down to about 14,000. ULL is at about 19,000 but if you take out their McNeese game they drop to a little above 14,500.

Basically, I do think that the general public which includes our fellow alumni who are not as RABID know that Tech is playing MUCH better competition. They know that we have a new coach that is helping us to raise our level of competition. They know that attending a Tech game will give them a great family game day experience.

I know there are gripes about many leaving during the game and that boggles my mind but I think those fans will soon be turning and realizing that the show they are getting in the stands -winning or struggling- is better than the show they go home to watch on TV. A few years ago, the ones leaving in the middle weren't even showing up in the first place.

So forget that hype/lie about how we should be in a local conference building local rivalries. That's just not happening.

[rabiddawg]

I wish I was there but making it there from Atlanta back to back is not possible yet.

Come on garddawg. If I can make it thru Dry Prong two weekends in a row.....

I talked to one Boise fan that flew in from New York! He said Tech was the closest game for him. Another from Atlanta and a couple from Dallas.

We will give you one more chance at the next home game. If you aren't here with several friends, you go on the dreaded double secret probation.

[dawg80]

It's getting better, slowly. I'll be holding my breath for the SJSU game, however. Not a popular foe and it will be made worse if the Dawgs have not won a few between now and then.

Still, like the FB program itself, this year's attendance is showing some signs of life. And, the future bodes well too. It's so easy to forget that we have only 10,000 students in a small, rural town setting. Getting 20,000 is pretty good. If LSU wanted to match our attendance based on demographic factors in the area they'd have to have close to 300,000 attend games. Ah, they have about half of that tail-gating though.

Just saw where South Florida has the 9th largest enrollment in the nation, and in a major metropolitan city of, what? a million+? They get maybe 60K...

I want our numbers up, sure, but I really think that quality trumps quantity. Our fans are standing, making noise, wearing blue, painting themselves and wearing red capes (great job guys and gals!!!). It's getting better folks. It really is.

[metrydawg]

Good things are going on with attendance. There you go. I said this. The revelation hit me last night at the game. The new atmosphere is happening because of the new coach. No way would you believe this is last years team giving Boise a good game. We had 19,100 or so there. I was pretty close with my prediction of 21,449. Kudos go out to those 300 caped crusaders. They are FANtastic. I see more of this happening as we go along. Even with all the distractions statewide saturday, we still had a great group of fans show up!!! 19,000 Plus!!!

[DawgyNWindow]

Kudos go out to those 300 caped crusaders. They are FANtastic.

"Prepare for GLORY!"

That was a great speech before the game by whoever that was leading the throng of 300. Got me laughing and pumped up for the game at the same time.

That was worth the price of admission all by itself, and it's something I hope they keep doing each home game.

[Amos Moses]

"Prepare for GLORY!"

That was a great speech before the game by whoever that was leading the throng of 300. Got me laughing and pumped up for the game at the same time.

That was worth the price of admission all by itself, and it's something I hope they keep doing each home game.

I went by the east side stands around 4:10 (right after the team arrived) and the 300Blue were all getting spray-painted in a makeshift paint booth....my nephew, a Tech student, was gonna join them until they told him the paint was latex paint, and he is allergic to latex. There is truly a new brand of student participation and support than in years past!!

[garddawg]

Come on garddawg. If I can make it thru Dry Prong two weekends in a row.....

I used to go through Dry Prong often. Now its getting through the tourist meccas of Chunky and Bovina, MS.

This year once a month is feasible. Next year hopefully more often. Just can't do the trip twice on one pay cycle.

Even at this time, I am trying to figure out if it makes monetary sense to drive to Ruston for the Nov 18th game -> back to Atlanta and then -> drive to Lafayette 3 days later for Thanksgiving. Believe me, I'm torn.

[rabiddawg]

Even at this time, I am trying to figure out if it makes monetary sense to drive to Ruston for the Nov 18th game -> back to Atlanta and then -> drive to Lafayette 3 days later for Thanksgiving. Believe me, I'm torn.

Yeah, that would be a tough trip. Here is a plan. Drive in, fly back to Atlanta, fly back to Ruston drive to Lafayette then back to Atlanta. Or better yet get you a job in Lafayette and you can ride with me!

[Brian96]

I was impressed that we had two generals in the house for Boise. That's pretty cool.

We should have easily had another 1,000 just with the military if it had been adequately promoted. Oh, well.

Oh, and my pick 0f 19,400 was pretty close for the pick 'em, but I think somebody else got a couple hundred closer.

[JuBru]

I was impressed that we had two generals in the house for Boise. That's pretty cool.

We should have easily had another 1,000 just with the military if it had been adequately promoted. Oh, well.

Big "problem" was that a local unit was at Ft. Polk this weekend... I know they were honored at the Hawaii game, but could have been beneficial to have them there for the game since they were wanting to honor the military.

[DarboneDon]

The flyover was good also...

[MattB]

That was very cool to have some of those head honchos in attendance. Those were some heavy hitters, and it was nice to have them there. Also have to give a big thumbs up for our guards standing at attention the whole game at the south endzone. If any of those guys read the board, just wanted to say thanks. Very professional and appreciated.

[aubunique]

Dry Prong? In 1963, while living in Vetville, I was still attending Coast Guard Reserve meetings in Shreveport and attending CG meetings in Shreveport some Wednesday nights and other times all weekend. Plus there was always summer camp. I was serving as "training officer" for the unit even though I was a second-class boatswain's mate but had graduated with my B.A. and was certified to teach and working on a master's degree to get certified as a school administrator while also qualifying to teach English in college. So the unit in Shreveport recommended me for a direct commissioni and I took the exams and the physical and got called to N.O. for an interview at headquarters. The 1962 VW was running great and had never used oil. Someone hit the backend in a parking lot and when time for the trip to New Orleans, I discovered I couldn't lift the back lid to check the oil in the rear-mounted engine. So I took off and went through the interview just fine. On the way home, the VW ran out of oil and shut down in DRY PRONG. There is more to the story, but the jist is that I always assumed that Dry Prong was the center of something like the Bermuda Triangle. Scary to hear it still has a reputation.

[geek34]

It had been awhile since I had attended a Tech game in person so I brought my family to the game yesterday. It was agreat experience for all of us. I enjoyed it and more importantly my kids had a great time and want to go back. I was impressed with all of the things going on (the tailgating, student involvement, etc). It was a positive experience for all.

I had a thought on the way home this morning. Does anyone think we could improve attendance by moving the strart times of the games to 4 pm? My first thought says it may help for a couple of reasons.

1) A 6 pm start makes it a late night for even those as close as Shreveport. We do live in the Bible Belt and I believe a lot of people may shy away from a late Saturday night if they are going to church Sunday morning.

2) I hate to even bring this up because no one hates LSU as much as I but, we do compete with LSU for "fan" interest. Since LSU plays their home games at night some people may stay away from a live Tech game to watch LSU on TV.

4 pm is late enough to "make a day of it" and early enough for even the Dallas area fan to make a day trip.

Any thoughts?

[rabiddawg]

Glad you made it. My family loves game day too. I drove back to Lafayette Sat. and got home at 1am.

4:00 starts?

Too darn hot!

Too darn bright! I like the east side and I would be blind at the end of the game.

Too darn humid.

Wait a minute. I think we should move conference games to 1:00. LOL