C-USA raises bar for MTSU attendance

[Harry]

MURFREESBORO — Now that the pomp of MTSU’s official entrance into Conference USA has settled just a bit, it’s time to start capitalizing on the move.

On the field, the Blue Raiders hope to repeat success similar to last season’s 8-4 record. Offseason workouts continue, and players are slated to report to preseason camp on Aug. 1.

Off the field, MTSU needs to make a good first impression in the new league by selling tickets and filling up more of Floyd Stadium that previous seasons.

“We want to measure ourselves more with East Carolina and Southern Miss, and (higher attendance) is under that broad conference component that we want,” MTSU athletic director Chris Massaro said. “We can get a lot better. We need to get back to averaging more than 20,000 like we did before, and I think we need to consistently get to averaging 25,000 like a Conference USA school can.”

MTSU’s average attendance for home football games dipped slightly from 18,407 in 2011 to 17,738 last season. Massaro said it was not surprising that sales slipped coming off a 2-10 record in 2011. He has set a minimum goal of a 10 percent increase in season-ticket sales this year (that total number has hovered around 6,000 sold the past few seasons).That task primarily rests on The Aspire Group, an outsourced yet on-campus ticket sales and marketing firm brought in by MTSU as a new approach to building its fan base while stepping into C-USA.

Read more: http://www.dnj.com/article/20130706/BLUERAIDERS01/307060028/C-USA-raises-bar-MTSU-attendance

[GrandGreen]

Having gone to the MTSU last year, it was a crummy day; but their actual attendance was overstated by thousands. I doubt there were three thousand actually there and that was counting a lot of veterans who mostly left after being honored at half time. Student count was in the low hundreds.

NT certainly has nothing to brag about relative to attendance, but I marvel at all the attention the announced official attendance gets in these types of commentary. The school creates a number and then actually uses that count as if it was meaningful.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Having gone to the MTSU last year, it was a crummy day; but their actual attendance was overstated by thousands. I doubt there were three thousand actually there and that was counting a lot of veterans who mostly left after being honored at half time. Student count was in the low hundreds.

NT certainly has nothing to brag about relative to attendance, but I marvel at all the attention the announced official attendance gets in these types of commentary. The school creates a number and then actually uses that count as if it was meaningful.

Can you imagine what a MT fan would have said about our attendance counters if one showed up on the day Lance killed them?

[meangreener]

NT also usually has excellent student attendance, which is why our average attendance will continue to go up every year as they graduate.

[JesseMartin]

NT also usually has excellent student attendance, which is why our average attendance will continue to go up every year as they graduate.

Definitely. I noticed an obvious change between when I started going to games (1997) and when I finished undergrad (2002). Then I did facilities work for the games when I took a semester off before grad school, and the student attendance continued to grow the whole time, and people would occasionally comment that they couldn't remember the last time so many students went to the games.

If we can keep working to keep everybody involved (especially the many who stay within driving distance or even "day trip" distance after they graduate), we will see the rest of the stadium fill up as well.

[Harry]

Student attendance at UNT has been awesome and bodes well for the future.

[meangreener]

I think our student attendance will ultimately result in a continuing rise in attendance. Sure, the last game is usually poorly attended by the students, but we outclass pretty much every peer when it comes to student attendance. As these students graduate, they'll end up on the alumni side and that bodes VERY well for the future. Look at the Texas Southern, Troy and ULL games. There were SO many students at the ULL game. It gets me excited for our future. And now let's win.

I think it's a combination of attracting mostly first choice UNT students, a student body that mostly lives in Denton, a surprising amount of school spirit and the new stadium. Spirit has risen every year since I came here, and so much more than when some older alums I know...that's why it excites me if we'd win a few games...our attendance would skyrocket quickly. Students love UNT. My Freshman year there was a bit of school spirit but now there's so much and I really feel privileged to see it evolve as it has.

Edited July 9, 2013 by meangreener

[MeanGreenTexan]

I think our student attendance will ultimately result in a continuing rise in attendance. Sure, the last game is usually poorly attended by the students, but we outclass pretty much every peer when it comes to student attendance. As these students graduate, they'll end up on the alumni side and that bodes VERY well for the future. Look at the Texas Southern, Troy and ULL games. There were SO many students at the ULL game. It gets me excited for our future. And now let's win.

I think it's a combination of attracting mostly first choice UNT students, a student body that mostly lives in Denton, a surprising amount of school spirit and the new stadium. Spirit has risen every year since I came here, and so much more than when some older alums I know...that's why it excites me if we'd win a few games...our attendance would skyrocket quickly. Students love UNT. My Freshman year there was a bit of school spirit but now there's so much and I really feel privileged to see it evolve as it has.

I certainly hope so... History has proven otherwise though.

[KRAM1]

Having gone to the MTSU last year, it was a crummy day; but their actual attendance was overstated by thousands. I doubt there were three thousand actually there and that was counting a lot of veterans who mostly left after being honored at half time. Student count was in the low hundreds.

NT certainly has nothing to brag about relative to attendance, but I marvel at all the attention the announced official attendance gets in these types of commentary. The school creates a number and then actually uses that count as if it was meaningful.

Agree with GrandGreen here...I, too, attended that game and there was no where near the number announced in attendance...but, season ticket holders are counted I assume. Very few students at that game as Grand says...yes, weather was not good, but attendance was terrible...and, what a crummy playing surface...sure hope they spruce it up for CUSA....and Apogee puts the place to shame!

[Stan R]

I certainly hope so... History has proven otherwise though.

egg-zactly. I was going to post the eggzact same thing. If history is any indication - we have no idea what the effect of all those zealous students sitting in those seats during the past (n) years will mean. I'm just going by personal experience. I personally know many UNT alums at my place of business that have graduated recently and who really have no connection whatsoever. Recent grads. Call me skeptical but at NT:

I ALWAYS take a show-me-first mentality.

[KRAM1]

I certainly hope so... History has proven otherwise though.

Ancient history...the times they are a changing! Won't happen overnight, and some solid winning years of football will help speed it up, but lots of work is now going on in many campus areas to help students connect early and stay connected.

Of course, some will never connect with athletics, and so be it, but connecting with your university does not mean only in an athletic sense.

UNT now has a Student Alumni Association for the first time ever...small in number now, but growing. This sort of thing helps, but does take time...just one example...there are so very many others.

[UNTFan23]

UNT now has a Student Alumni Association for the first time ever...small in number now, but growing. This sort of thing helps, but does take time...just one example...there are so very many others.

First time ever having a student chapter? Are you sure about that?

[JesseMartin]

First time ever having a student chapter? Are you sure about that?

I know they were in the process of organizing back in the early 00's but I don't know if it ever became official. Somebody from UT's Student Government mentioned that they had one, and a bunch of us were like, "whoa, why don't we have one?". So a few people starting working on it but I don't know how far they got, because any time I asked about it, things were "progressing" but I don't think I ever really got much detail other than that.

[KRAM1]

First time ever having a student chapter? Are you sure about that?

To my knowledge the first ever university recognized and sanctioned student alumni association. If I am incorrect, I apologize, but do not recall any other such officially recognized group at UNT.

[meangreener]

I certainly hope so... History has proven otherwise though.

I have friends who have together attended UNT for about 20 years altogether...they agree that student attendance is higher than ever so there is no "history" to point back to.

[MeanGreenTexan]

I have friends who have together attended UNT for about 20 years altogether...they agree that student attendance is higher than ever so there is no "history" to point back to.

You're probably right about the overall attendance of the student section being higher than ever before. That's a good thing.

What I'm saying is, there are over 100k alumni in D/FW. Yet the alumni side still needs help (forget about the Wings). I'm not saying you're wrong. I really hope you're right. I'll just need to see it to believe it.