Attendance and The Game Day Experience

[bladerunnr]

I'm wondering if there might be a generation gap on this topic. When I was in school in the 80's, not many games were on tv. There weren't so many tv timeouts. Now, with nearly every game on tv, it seems that the number of dead times or time outs has increased dramatically. Games used to take 3 hours max, sometimes less. Now, games take 3 1/2 hours more often than not. Maybe younger fans are not bothered by all the stopages in play.

Most of the video board clips are cringe worthy, at best. Standing in line for beer might make the time go faster.

One venue that is always fun to visit is Air Force. The flyover before the game and some of the falcon stunts are pretty impressive. Maybe we just need more creative entertainment during timeouts. Maybe a wet t-shirt contest? Or some hot cheerleaders that come into the stands and pass out free stuff?

[BeaverPoke]

I'm wondering if there might be a generation gap on this topic. When I was in school in the 80's, not many games were on tv. There weren't so many tv timeouts. Now, with nearly every game on tv, it seems that the number of dead times or time outs has increased dramatically. Games used to take 3 hours max, sometimes less. Now, games take 3 1/2 hours more often than not. Maybe younger fans are not bothered by all the stopages in play.

Most of the video board clips are cringe worthy, at best. Standing in line for beer might make the time go faster.

One venue that is always fun to visit is Air Force. The flyover before the game and some of the falcon stunts are pretty impressive. Maybe we just need more creative entertainment during timeouts. Maybe a wet t-shirt contest? Or some hot cheerleaders that come into the stands and pass out free stuff?

Well, the Game Day experience for me is everything that comes with college football: The band, the tailgating, the cheer leaders, the vehicles en route on the interstate with team flags flying out the window; the sense you were going to DisneyLand for the cool kids.

When I was a kid, my dad and I would drive from Evanston to Laramie for games and I remember being so excited the entire 4 hour drive.
Every vehicle we passed it seemed like I asked my dad if they were going to the game. When we finally got passed Rawlins and the road signs had the distance to Laramie, I knew something special was on the horizon.
Then when we finally got to where you can see Laramie, the excitement multiplied.
We would drive up Grand and the Wyo flags would be out on the streets, the trees were changing colors, we would see groups of students wearing brown and gold shirts walking to the stadium. We would hit the Brown and Gold and get some new gear along with the hundreds of other people in the store at the same time.
Then we would go to the tailgate park (which I remember being just north of the AA- but I was a kid so I could be mistaken, does that seem right?). At the tailgate park I remember seeing cheerleaders and the band and I would play the little game where you threw the football into hole. People were eating burgers and brats and drinking beer I'm sure.
Then you head into the stadium and walk around, find your seats, watch the players warm up, etc.
Throughout the game you get into any and every cheer that started. You sang the fight song as loud and proud as you could. You embraced being part of The War.

That is what college football is; that is what the game day experience was and still is.

It's the anticipation of the game, the trip there. The excitement of going to a D1 football game. The opponent? Didn't matter unless it was BYU, then it was extra special. It's about being a part of the thousands of fans there for a college football game and all the awesomeness that comes with it. It's about the event. The all day event, exhausting but worth it.

That is how I see college football. I don't want stupid Family Guy sound bits during the game. I want FIRST DOWN f-word! I don't want a sissy "canon". I want the canon that scares everyone every time!
I don't want LPD patrolling the student section keeping us in order, I want a wild student section.

Long post, but I think you get what I am saying. That is what the gameday experience is.

[djm19]

Beav, you are right on that feeling. Gosh, I get excited about it just thinking about it. I grew up in a BYU extended family. Some are still blinded by the douchebaggery...I digress, that drive from SLC to laramie is something I look forward to. Every year my old man and I cruise to Laramie for games. I have Utah license plates and have to make sure I have my UW flag up so no one flips me off thinking I am from Utah County. That last corner you round coming off the mt into Laramie is awesome. This sounds dumb, but it feels like home. The brown and gold and Steamboat on every lightpole.

I remember as a kid sitting in the "Knothole" and catching the extra points. One time we caught a football and we hi-tailed it for the exit with a game ball...literally running. Security was on us like a bum on a hoagie. We were teenagers so they just laughed it off.

I do like a good loud Black Betty blaring now, though....

The video clip of Wedding Crashers "NUM NUM NUM NUM NUM NUM..." needs to go.

[LawPoke]

I'm wondering if there might be a generation gap on this topic. When I was in school in the 80's, not many games were on tv. There weren't so many tv timeouts. Now, with nearly every game on tv, it seems that the number of dead times or time outs has increased dramatically. Games used to take 3 hours max, sometimes less. Now, games take 3 1/2 hours more often than not. Maybe younger fans are not bothered by all the stopages in play.

Most of the video board clips are cringe worthy, at best. Standing in line for beer might make the time go faster.

One venue that is always fun to visit is Air Force. The flyover before the game and some of the falcon stunts are pretty impressive. Maybe we just need more creative entertainment during timeouts. Maybe a wet t-shirt contest? Or some hot cheerleaders that come into the stands and pass out free stuff?

I think there is absolutely a generation gap. But that is actually ok with me. I appreciate the need for new uniforms, but am content with an older generation of them. I appreciate and actually like the new field, but would actually be ok with the grass.

What I do not like is contrived tradition, packaged as though it is really cool and has always been a part of who we are - which is why I hate most everything DC did on that front while he was here. I know he was trying to create excitement, along Beav's line of thinking, but it was just fake - like DC - and everyone knew it. I dislike the video board and how it is done - the clips generally suck, they don't do enough replay and the sound system is terrible anyway. I dislike not hearing the band (we actually have a pretty big and good one these days). I dislike phony baloney Cowboy walks emanating from a hotel, where, on poorly attended games, 12 people line the path to cheer on the team to victory.

As I said early in the thread, I do think that winning will cure a lot of things and save us from 9 pages of comments on helmets and uniforms (well, maybe not---that has been going on for eons). But I want the discussion to shift to things like are in the article below - winning. Knocking another team around. Having our front 4 dominate a team. For me, the things in my first post remind me of that time (together with a really loud canon and not a pop gun). Can we go back? No. Should we? Maybe, on some fronts. But I really think we have to avoid the missteps of the big programs and not forget the good parts of who we are and were - and go back to being fan-centric, which I think means a revamp of the Cowboy Joe Club and the country club sort of crap that permeates that organization.

At any rate, here is the article:

http://articles.philly.com/1988-11-09/s ... ng-cowboys" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[djm19]

Good read there. I was 6 yrs old. ha

[BJC]

<spine tingles>

great post Beave

[WYO1016]

Awesome post, Beav! Tailgate park did used to be over by the AA. They moved it when the IPF was built, and now they've built other things where it used to be. I'm glad they're moving it back over that direction. It was a pain to get to tailgate park from an actual tailgate when they moved it on the other side of the stadium.

[J-Rod]

<spine tingles>

great post Beave

This...damn BP, now I'm about ready to tell summer to take a hike and let fall arrive early. Fantastic post.

[YankPoke]

Great post Beav, couldn't have described what college football is all about any better than that.

[McPeachy]

The kid has his best post ever - out of almost 5300 posts - and it coincidentally comes at a time he is high-tailing it to Corvallis. Shame. Wyonation sure could have used more of that.

[BeaverPoke]

The kid has his best post ever - out of almost 5300 posts - and it coincidentally comes at a time he is high-tailing it to Corvallis. Shame. Wyonation sure could have used more of that.

Lol.

I love to banter with people, going back and forth with people like you Peaches!

And I don't like the term "high-tailing" it. It makes it seem like I want to GTFO asap.
I love me some Beaver, but I am a Wyo Cowboy.

[J-Rod]

I love me some Beaver, but I am a Wyo Cowboy.

The first time I read this sentence, I did not affiliate the Beaver part with Oregon State at all.

[Wyokie]

I love me some Beaver, but I am a Wyo Cowboy.

The first time I read this sentence, I did not affiliate the Beaver part with Oregon State at all.

Nor did I.

[BeaverPoke]

I love me some Beaver, but I am a Wyo Cowboy.

The first time I read this sentence, I did not affiliate the Beaver part with Oregon State at all.

Wait, who is talking about Oregon State here?

[McPeachy]

I love me some Beaver, but I am a Wyo Cowboy.

Touche' young beav, touche'

[jessejames02]

Or cheaper tickets.

$40 to watch Montana is crazy.

20,000 people @ $20 a ticket is better than 10,000 @ $40 a ticket. At least it gets people there for concessions.

$40 is crazy!?! I paid $75 for crappy tickets to watch the Hawkeyes get pounded at Kinnick in 2012 and a whole lot more when Iowa visited OSU here in Ohio last season.

Complaining about $40 tickets. I wish.

[djm19]

Without or without him having to give his credit card number?

[djm19]

Or cheaper tickets.

$40 to watch Montana is crazy.

20,000 people @ $20 a ticket is better than 10,000 @ $40 a ticket. At least it gets people there for concessions.

$40 is crazy!?! I paid $75 for crappy tickets to watch the Hawkeyes get pounded at Kinnick in 2012 and a whole lot more when Iowa visited OSU here in Ohio last season.

Complaining about $40 tickets. I wish.

Superbowl tickets are $1,500...who cares?

Honestly, we aren't even comparing apples to apples. I happily paid $100 a ticket to watch UW play Texas. The stadium was full. I watched them play Neb...tickets were $130. I happily paid it.

Seeing The War half full is embarassing. Drop the ticket price and get @sses in the seats. That is all I am saying. OSU ever have half empty stadiums? If so, you'd have people complaining about ticket prices too.

A ticket to watch a bottom dweller MWc team battle a FCS school in Laramie, Wy is FAR different than Iowa and OSU or whatever. Supply and demand. There isn't a demand for UW home games this year. Get more people there.

[jessejames02]

Obviously Iowa and Ohio State are bigger dogs. I'm just trying to put it in perspective. $40 to watch the Pokes tromp some Griz seems worthwhile to me. That said I'm not buying a ticket to the game.

[djm19]

Obviously Iowa and Ohio State are bigger dogs. I'm just trying to put it in perspective. $40 to watch the Pokes tromp some Griz seems worthwhile to me. That said I'm not buying a ticket to the game.

Fair enough.

I will be there $40 and all....