WyoNation.com

I saw this linked on the other board...

http://thebiglead.com/2014/07/28/iowa-j ... l-tickets/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wonder if teams like Wyoming wouldn't be well served to really embrace old time, old man football. Go all in. Tout the lack of commercialization (get rid of it where it exists), replace the new fangled field turf with real grass, engage the fan and make them feel great and appreciated for coming to the stadium (train up the ushers on WY football/stadium history and have them go out of their way to know the people in their sections, including the visitors), open up the football field again after games, do an upgrade to the stadium along the lines of what Camden Yard started in baseball (more retro feel) - go the exact opposite direction of these other programs and then play it up. We ain't in the P5 and don't really care that we aren't. We are what football was, the football that you actually enjoyed going to, even when you were freezing your butt off. At 2:00 on Saturday, whether there is a camera rolling or not, toe is going to meet leather and we are going to have a brawl. Be there.

If you want to do a video board, do it so it reflects a positive fan experience (how about sending the video crew up to Section 27 after every score to film "oh Lord its hard to be humble"?). What happened to the trumpet guy on the West side? Bring back the old cheers (I know, this is a constant refrain). Finally embrace real tailgating.

We have the perfect set up for it - we are Wyoming for the love of God. We are not the Joneses, don't want to be (for the most part) and have some really cool history and traditions that everyone in the Athletic Department seems content to keep on mothballs. We don't need a goddamned stadium walk or Cowboy walk or whatever - we need fans lined up in the north endzone screaming as the Pokes come into the War. We don't need some contrived "the Arch" sign above an Arch that has no historical significance, we have real historical stuff to tout.

And how about mentioning when we are playing the alma mater (because most people don't remember what it sounds like) and having people stand for it again? I appreciate the Simpsons and their contributions, but "Come on Wyoming" isn't exactly a "favorite of all Wyoming fans" - that would be "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" and "Fight Wyoming Fight" for me.

Holy poop this is getting ridiculous. WHY would we go back in time....Get rid of the Turf? That is the most unique thing about our program and we should drop it? Holy crap. If were going all in lets go all in. No more band. No more concessions. Lets get rid of the stadium completely. Lets go back to playing in a big empty field.

For the record - there was recently a thread in /r/cfb on Reddit (a forum with almost 89,000 College Football fan subscribers) that talked about the coolest-looking fields in College Football. Wyoming's was the second most popular because of our endzones with the mountains.

I sure do miss Laramie's gorgeous November real grass

OK - so keep the turf if it gets you that fired up.

The basic question remains, though - fans are increasingly inclined to stay home (with increased TV, streaming video, etc.). I generally think that winning will cure a lot of ills - but I am still concerned about the casual fan staying away.

OrediggerPoke wrote:I sure do miss Laramie's gorgeous November real grass

I never said it was gorgeous. It wasn't. It was ugly and degraded and torn to hell and made visiting teams complain about the playing conditions...

LawPoke wrote:OK - so keep the turf if it gets you that fired up.

The basic question remains, though - fans are increasingly inclined to stay home (with increased TV, streaming video, etc.). I generally think that winning will cure a lot of ills - but I am still concerned about the casual fan staying away.

Here is a partial solution: Offer Beer at the stadium.

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.

let kids in free 13 and under with an adult if games arent being sold out....parent...guardian...friend still has to buy a ticket.

win

transportation packages to relieve the weather/gas/driving aspect

win

do they still do the ridiculous video screen clips that don't seem to fit?

win

stadium wifi?

win

You know, I just had a thought. If they would win, people would come.

Asmodeanreborn wrote:For the record - there was recently a thread in /r/cfb on Reddit (a forum with almost 89,000 College Football fan subscribers) that talked about the coolest-looking fields in College Football. Wyoming's was the second most popular because of our endzones with the mountains.

Off topic but something I find really interesting, Most of the threads about Wyoming on Reddit are started by Nebraska fans.....

Wyo2dal wrote:

Asmodeanreborn wrote:For the record - there was recently a thread in /r/cfb on Reddit (a forum with almost 89,000 College Football fan subscribers) that talked about the coolest-looking fields in College Football. Wyoming's was the second most popular because of our endzones with the mountains.

Off topic but something I find really interesting, Most of the threads about Wyoming on Reddit are started by Nebraska fans.....

I've noticed this trend as well. In this case it was a Texas fan who linked to pictures of our field, though.

LawPoke wrote:I saw this linked on the other board...

http://thebiglead.com/2014/07/28/iowa-j ... l-tickets/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wonder if teams like Wyoming wouldn't be well served to really embrace old time, old man football. Go all in. Tout the lack of commercialization (get rid of it where it exists), replace the new fangled field turf with real grass, engage the fan and make them feel great and appreciated for coming to the stadium (train up the ushers on WY football/stadium history and have them go out of their way to know the people in their sections, including the visitors), open up the football field again after games, do an upgrade to the stadium along the lines of what Camden Yard started in baseball (more retro feel) - go the exact opposite direction of these other programs and then play it up. We ain't in the P5 and don't really care that we aren't. We are what football was, the football that you actually enjoyed going to, even when you were freezing your butt off. At 2:00 on Saturday, whether there is a camera rolling or not, toe is going to meet leather and we are going to have a brawl. Be there.

If you want to do a video board, do it so it reflects a positive fan experience (how about sending the video crew up to Section 27 after every score to film "oh Lord its hard to be humble"?). What happened to the trumpet guy on the West side? Bring back the old cheers (I know, this is a constant refrain). Finally embrace real tailgating.

We have the perfect set up for it - we are Wyoming for the love of God. We are not the Joneses, don't want to be (for the most part) and have some really cool history and traditions that everyone in the Athletic Department seems content to keep on mothballs. We don't need a goddamned stadium walk or Cowboy walk or whatever - we need fans lined up in the north endzone screaming as the Pokes come into the War. We don't need some contrived "the Arch" sign above an Arch that has no historical significance, we have real historical stuff to tout.

And how about mentioning when we are playing the alma mater (because most people don't remember what it sounds like) and having people stand for it again? I appreciate the Simpsons and their contributions, but "Come on Wyoming" isn't exactly a "favorite of all Wyoming fans" - that would be "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" and "Fight Wyoming Fight" for me.

THIS IS WHY WE ARE IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE MWC. THIS IS WHY LARAMIE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE. ITS THIS THINKING THAT DRAGS UNIVERSITIES/BUSINESSES/COMMUNITIES DOWN.

STOP!

There are only two ways to get more people to the games in Laramie:

1) Get a big time OOC team to come in and play (TX or Nebraska for example).
2) Win and be in competition for MWC crown and G5 bid to big bowl.

That is it. There isn't one damn thing you can do to significantly increase attendance other than that.

ragtimejoe1 wrote:There are only two ways to get more people to the games in Laramie:

1) Get a big time OOC team to come in and play (TX or Nebraska for example).
2) Win and be in competition for MWC crown and G5 bid to big bowl.

That is it. There isn't one damn thing you can do to significantly increase attendance other than that.

What about SELLING BEER?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wyokie wrote:
What about SELLING BEER?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just speculating here, but, IMO it won't matter significantly. Let's say we have a losing season without beer and average 20K for the season, how much do you think offering beer would increase attendance in that same season?

If I had to bet, it would be a 1K average max and would likely be less than that. Again, all we can do is speculate so I might be totally wrong.

Historically, winning and good OOC teams are the only things that have brought people to Laramie.

In regards to beer-

Let's not confuse money with people.

Beer may bring in money, but not necessarily people.

I don't know anyone who would drive 6 hours to a game just because beer is being sold. They will drive 6 hours to watch a decent team or the chance at seeing them play for a MWC title...

Speaking of driving to come watch.... anyone headed to the home opener? Looks like I will be there instead of Howdy Doody Bowl 2014 the next week. That game is too dang late with a drive back to SLC.

djm19 wrote:In regards to beer-

Let's not confuse money with people.

Beer may bring in money, but not necessarily people.

I don't know anyone who would drive 6 hours to a game just because beer is being sold. They will drive 6 hours to watch a decent team or the chance at seeing them play for a MWC title...

Have to agree here, beer sales probably wouldn't have a significant effect on attendance, but would bring in extra $$$

Wyo needs to spend money to make the game day experience worth a crap.

Bottom line.

The "we have history" argument is the most pointless one in all of sports. No one cares about back then. No one cares what happened in the 80s. No one cares about what happened in the 04 Vegas Bowl. Hell no one even cares about ACS and Brett Smith anymore.

Let's just freaking win and act like we belong there. There is a reason that many players and fans have made comments alluding to Wyo being a D2 school.