Gameday Atmosphere/experience was borderline unbearable.

[Bcash2]

And it all has to do with that damn giant video board. I know this subject has been brought up a ton, but I gotta vent. The video board has become the centerpiece of our game day experience and it is suffocating everything else. The CONSTANT barrage of ****** commercials with the volume up too loud sucks the life out of the stadium. I understand you have to pay for things but Jesus H Christ enough already. Trotting out a different person out every timeout to congratulate or thank sucks the life out of the stadium.
There should be some time available fOr the band the actually play some songs and get our student action going. During a big series, of there is a timeout the band should be playing kickass music stoking the energy of the crowd. Instead, the attention of the fans is once again directed to the videoboard to watch a 17ing firetruck race a muscle car around a stupid 17ing track.

Furthermore, you're going to rely on the dumbass screen so often, at least operate it correctly. It's like my grandmother trying to navigate the Internet. Music is constantly being played when over the band. Several times I could hear people talking cause the guy forgot to turn he microphone off. They've had years o practice...figure the **** out.

Finally, the organization of the band sucks. The lines of the arbitrary obscure shapes they form are crooked and theres no creativity. Maybe because we rely on the board so much that there's no pressure to improve. I get back for one or two games a year and this is my perspective.

 

[engie]

Agreed on all counts...

We need to model the gameTIME experience after South Carolina. They party nonstop in Williams-Brice, and as such, they pack the house no matter how good/bad the team is. If they can do it with a giant video board, we should be able to do it the same way.

 

[shotgunDawg]

I agree, but Engie have you been to South Carolina to know if they run ads like we do?

I bring this up because Univ. of South Carolina is located in a city of 150,000 people that is located in the dead center of their state and has no professional sports. Starkville, is a town of 23,000 people that is located in the middle of nowhere.

The point is that getting fans to come to a South Carolina game when they aren't very good, is much much easier because most of their fans either live in Columbia or within an hour of campus. Its just a different model, and something we can't replicate unless Starkville, Columbus, and West Point grow dramatically.

That is why MSU must create its own model. Thats why our administration needs to and continues to push the envelope as to what the game day experience can be. The Junction, expansion, and all the other things we do, including the stupid and corny ones, are there to try to overcome this obstacle.

In an attempt to find new and better ways, our admin needs to continue to come up with ideas, and, as fans we need to continue to give feed back on message boards so that they know what works and what does not. Remember that we tried to nothing at games for a very long time, it was known as the Larry Templeton era.

 

[CadaverDawg]

I disagree. After all the bitching I read on here, I was expecting it to be bad....it wasn't. The PA guy talked to damn much, but other than that I thought th board was run pretty well. There were cheesy commercials and stuff, but what do you expect, they have to pay for the big 17er. So, Maybe it was just because we kicked ***, but I thought all of the bitching on here was unwarranted based on what I witnessed yesterday.

 

[gdogg]

Something has to be done for next year.

Our fans are forgetting how to do "Go State" which is the best damn cheer in the SEC! and the 17n 50 yard nerf throw for the truck is a damn impossible JOKE.

 

[Todd4State]

We definitely need to look at

How we do things in the offseason.

I think they need to let the fans have more input. The DJ video was awful and I'm sure TxMuddawg or Slickdawg both could have easily come up with something 10x better. Maybe have a contest where fans can submit a video or come up with 2-3 videos and then let the fans vote on which one they like the best?

I like the idea of having the PA announcer read the ads rather than blasting them over the scoreboard.

It's also really crappy that they have contests that no one this side of Peyton Manning can win. Yeah- throw a pass 45 yards into this truck window and you can have the truck.

The coordination with the band needs to be better. From my perspective- it seems like the scoreboard people just play over the band. The new expansion will help the band out a lot because the sound will bounce off of the concrete forward where they can actually be heard rather than go out under the metal bleachers. Next year, I think we will see a few posts about how much louder the band is.

 

[drt7891]

Speaking from past experience, the band directors wear headsets in the stands and communicate with gameday management. The managers are supposed to let them know when they can and can't play. However, this has been very poorly coordinated this year. Yesterday, there were 3 different times the band started playing a cheer or a stand tune and someone cranks up an ad on the jumbotron completely drowning them out.

 

[civildawg88]

I know I have said it many times but i'm going to say it again. the DJ football video is the worst thing i've ever seen in my life. I honestly dont understand how anybody in their right mind thought that was a good idea when they were making it

 

[MSDawg34]

Wrong again..

If anyone went to LSU or Bama this season you will have experienced the correct way to operate a board and overall game experience. NO COMMERCIALS!! No honoring whoever every break in the action. It was centered around the fans, students especially

You want to know how to make the students show up and stay (they should no matter what) make it a fun atmosphere to be drunk at. Want to know why they aren't rowdy; because energy is constantly being halted by a 17ing jumbotron. Run all your commercials and honoring people pregame and halftime but once the ball is kicked make it 100% about fan and student excitement. This is so 17ing frustrating because it's so damn unnecessary.

 

[Phil Wenneck.sixpack]

Commercials. Now before someone says money, there are other ways to promote a...

business than having it blaring across the screen during a time out late 2nd half in close games. There's no sense in that. Also, the d.j. thing has to go. Those are 2 must changes. Now for some strictly personal dislikes that may just be me. Pregame maroon white cheer. While it's ok to do, I can't help but hate that they have to announce what the East and West sides are supposed to say. Band pregame... what's up with the running in place type thing when they run on the field? Most of the pregame problems seem to be timing. We rarely get timing right with the whole outfit. Also, I could live without the fire truck race or whatever it's called. I do like the kiss cam though. At least it's interesting and keeps people on their toes.

 

[Dog316]

It is so bad, I'm beginning to wonder if I should just stay home and watch on the tube. At home I can mute the commercials or leave the room! Seriously, the game has become like one giant infomercial with many featured products. One ad after another, one person or group honored after another. Are we there for the football game or to generate money to pay for the jumbo tron and honor everyone except the team we came to see play?

On the bright side, I thought the half time show was tremendous. Great job by the band and everyone who played a part. One group we should always honor is the airmen who do the flyover. Always enjoy that and appreciate the dedicated men and women who serve our country.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

Actually, if you went to LSU this year, you would have noticed they did the same lame fire truck/muscle car/etc. race for free gas that we do. They also ran ads, although maybe not as many as we do (I've never tallied them up).

Some people just want to *****.

 

[CadaverDawg]

Actually, if you went to LSU this year, you would have noticed they did the same lame fire truck/muscle car/etc. race for free gas that we do. They also ran ads, although maybe not as many as we do (I've never tallied them up).

Some people just want to *****.

^^

 

[esplanade91]

Lets coordinate a boycott of all the businesses advertised on gameday. That'll send them the message.

 

[FlabLoser]

Yeah honoring people at every opportunity bugs me. Its good to recognize people, but we seem to go overboard with it.

And our PA guy talks way too damn much when we do honor people. Does he really have to read off the entire life history of everybody that gets recognized?

Every break is either a commercial our our PA guy speaking as quickly as he and properly enunciate things.

 

[CadaverDawg]

Yeah honoring people at every opportunity bugs me. Its good to recognize people, but we seem to go overboard with it.

And our PA guy talks way too damn much when we do honor people. Does he really have to read off the entire life history of everybody that gets recognized?

Every break is either a commercial our our PA guy speaking as quickly as he and properly enunciate things.

This^^ I agree with

 

[MSDawg34]

Yes they did one thing... ONE. Their PA announcer read off ads quietly with music being the dominate sound during the ad reading just like Bama. Also Chevron gave 300K $ unlike DSP, Bullock, Veranda, etc.

That you tried to compare the two atmospheres is laughable. Some people just have to be contrarian. And some have to be cheerleaders (Cad Dawg).

 

[Victory Red]

We run ads, but not in the same way that it sounds like MSU does. Almost all of our ads somehow circle back to or are related to Ole Miss athletics, usually football. Some bank ad is always about a "first" for a former Rebel athlete. Some chip commercial is about athletic legacies. The honoring on the field is almost always some kind of military honoring of a Rebel fan, which is definitely always appreciated by the fans.

I don't know if that's how things are done in Starkville, but it makes the ads tolerable during our games. Also, no stupid videos or racing games, those were done previously and hated by everyone. For those of you who will make the game this week I'd be interested in the differences after the game.

 

[CadaverDawg]

Aww, did someone on the internet disagree with you?

Get over it.

 

[dawgatUSM]

The difference between good ads and bad ones is if they are interactive or not...

Have a sponsored kiss cam and a sponsored this and that. The farm bureau ads are top notch.

However, bullock toyotas and those ads have to go! Or, just be reserved for pregame or halftime.

 

[Hump4Hoops]

Maybe I'm crazy but I really like the DJ video

it even extends to the ribbon boards, I find it quite entertaining.

 

[MagicDawg]

Only on-campus game I made was South Alabama, but yes I was frustrated by some of the junk. There definitely need to be some changes.

And Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the Maroon/White cheer needs and ending other than just fading out because nobody knows we're done. It needs structure. It should start with two rounds of 4 beats apart, go to two rounds of two beats apart, then finish up with something that says hail state and fight or Mississippi State Bulldogs fight or something that builds.

In hotels at bowl games, walking up the ramps to other stadiums, etc. people could start off the Maroon/White cheer and everyone would be able to join in and finish at the same time and it wouldn't sound like something just fading off from lack of interest.

/vent

 

[RocketDawg]

I don't have a problem with the video board playing upbeat music; in fact, I like it. But I agree on the commercials ... way too many and way too often, and usually at the wrong time. And if I hear that female car salesman say "Loo-is-vuuuuuuuuuuul" one more time, I make puke right there in the stands.

I think the music has improved. I kinda like the old stuff (they had Axel Rose instrumental that was good and appropriate, I thought) and the new stuff (Gangnam Style). But those crazy, down-home commercials need to go and stay gone.

 

[drt7891]

Thread Hijack: But Starkville, in general, has the worst commercials... and the worst of the worst (besides the Denvil Crowe "I Don't Care" ad) are the car ads. I don't know who leads marketing in the area, but they apparently didn't go to the same school I did. I don't ever remember anyone telling me that "yelling and screaming about prices and how you'll beat their best deal and don't lie to them" sells. I will say I loved the DeLois Price ads, but not because I like or will go to Carl Hogan Toyota.

 

[RocketDawg]

Most of them do indeed relate to MSU football.

I kinda like the race game, and the Bulldog Shuffle (liked it better when it was Zatarain's crawfish, but that's beside the point). The Physics of Football was good at one time, but has become lame as of late. I suppose he's running out of material. But most of the ads are pretty poorly done ... the public service ad for the Children's Hospital being one of the worst offenders.

 

[RocketDawg]

It's supposed to be 35 yards but is really about 38 to where the truck is parked. Not sure how a Nerf football is supposed to go that far with any accuracy, but at least it wouldn't scratch the paint as much as a real one ... if anybody ever threw it that far.

 

[kired]

What about the lack of concessions yesterday? Went down at halftime and they had drinks, chips, and a long *** pizza line. No nachos, hotdogs, BBQ, popcorn, etc.

That's unacceptable for an 11am game. I thought the pregame video board and music was terrible too - everything was poorly planned, they interrupted the maroon/white cheer after like 3 reps with a commercial or music or something. Somebody needs to fix this crap.

 

[Xenomorph]

Just think how awesome it'll be with two of'em. *

*

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

The Athletic Department needs to take notice

Less amateur commercials, and learn when it is appropriate to do so. If they need to, go to Bama or LSU and take notice of the atmosphere and how the video board/music is operated.I haven't been to a game this year, but from what I've heard we don't play much rap music or upbeat stuff that gets the people going. As much as the older crowd hates rap, the younger fans AND THE PLAYERS like it, and it gets everyone fired up. It breeds energy in the stadium and we have to keep the energy levels high to keep a big game atmosphere. Dubstep and certain types of techno music also gets people going. It's not about keeping everyone happy while they watch the game, it's about making people happy afterward because the team won. With a dead atmosphere, what are the players supposed to feed off of?

 

[RocketDawg]

The music selection is OK, it just doesn't last very long until it's interrupted by commercials ad infinitum. Yes, there's plenty of rap ... I'd never listen to it on my own but it's fine in the stadium ... and I'm part of the older crowd.

 

[MSU Fan.sixpack]

Jumbotron

The Jumbotron and PA announcer really hurt my game experience. And I think our athletic department tries WAY too hard. Just let the game entertain the folks, not what you're doing. But for me (and the rest of us serious fans) the game is well enough. I don't need a kiss cam, throwing/kicking contests, hide the egg bowl trophy game, and I sure don't give a care about a cartoon race. I guess our AD is thinking the average fan needs all the stupid stuff to have fun at the game. Would love to hear the AD speak to how they use the jumbotron and what they're thinking with the constant barrage from the jumbotron and PA announcer during timeouts.

 

[MonroeDawg2]

VOLUME!!

If they would just turn the volume down to where it didnt dominate the stadium on the ads that would do wonders.

 

[TheBigDA]

Am I the only one who gets pumped up more by the band pa guy than the game pa guy? I understand it was basically a sham when the AD hired the guy, but this no talent *** clown sucks too much. He left the mic on and missed several key announcements. We never recognized the wounded warrior present during the coin toss. Timing yesterday was bad all around. Color guard was late. Started senior rec over coin toss. Senior rec was off and the video intros instead of pa intros was stupid. Totally agree on infomercial feel as well. Just a bad game experience. If we don't get a new pa guy I may not be back.

 

[MSU Fan.sixpack]

Agreed

 

[00dog]

I could do without the Jumbo tron

Guess I'm old school. But, I dislike most of what the jumbo tron does.

I buy my tickets, and make some games. But, my dislike of the jumbo tron has caused me to miss a few.

I'd like to enjoy the game, and atmosphere the way it was before the beast reigned. Even without the mega speakers, those who wanted to party in the stands had no problem.

I remember going to games before the video and amplifiers became overwhelming. The game, the band, the cheer leaders, the half-time were all focal points.

And the crowds could get into the game at least as well as they do now.

At times you were able to briefly discuss the game with your friends and others seated around you. You kind of got to know the fans in your area.

The music cranked up with Jackie, and it was fun for a while. But...

If I had the urge to be blasted by electronically enhanced audio, I'd go to a rock concert. If I wanted to be dazzled by video I'd go to a 3D I-Max, or a laser show. If I wanted to go to an arcade, the local fair would do. And I wouldn't want a football game to break out at any of them.

I miss the days when the loudest noises at the games were made by cow bells.

 

[vhdawg]

OH LORD, WON'T YOU BUY ME A MERCEDES BENZ???

That commercial makes my ears bleed.

The my other complaint is the Columbus Orthopedic ad where the team doctors apparently keep our team healthy by forcing them to wear five-year-old uniforms and watch 2006 game tape of Alabama. Disturbing that nobody politely asked them to make an ad with some recent 17ing footage.

 

[Felonious Junk]

you do realize that is janis joplin right? its not like its some local redneck house dress wearing fatty doing the voice over

 

[maroonmania]

Yeah honoring people at every opportunity bugs me. Its good to recognize people, but we seem to go overboard with it.

And our PA guy talks way too damn much when we do honor people. Does he really have to read off the entire life history of everybody that gets recognized?

Every break is either a commercial our our PA guy speaking as quickly as he and properly enunciate things.

I thought the video board (like it or not) was about the same as it is at every game including all the EXACT same things every week (car race, trophy shuffle, the kids segment, kiss cam, physics of football etc.) BUT the recognizing somebody different EVERY minor break in play was borderline ridiculous this past Saturday and did go even further to silence any crowd enthusiasm that might have been present.

 

[MSDawg34]

Who cares who is singing it?!?

A few weeks ago I got pissed about Patsy Cline (just throwing out a name) singing it and everyone's jumping to note that it's Joplin like she's your 17ing aunt. It. Has. To. Go.

 

[Hump4Hoops]

It's still annoying as hell

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