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Ideas to Improve Attendance Moving Forward

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muhstate

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Aug 29, 2013
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With the pitifully display of the student section the last few years, why not offer a "Young Alumni" section to replace some of the student section and keep the recent graduates involved?

Many MSU graduates are taking entry level jobs and/or have student loan debt, why not encourage enthusiastic new alumni with an opportunity to get involved early with the university and the alumni association? Maybe for those under 30?

Ticket prices would fall somewhere between student season ticket holders and regular season ticket holders, with the option for an extra ticket to be purchased for a wife or fellow alumni. To prevent the tickets from ending up on a second hand market, maybe a badge of ID card instead of physical tickets?

Thoughts?
 
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esplanade91

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Dec 9, 2010
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They tried to do something for upperclassmen so they could start earning points toward the Bulldog Club by going to events while they were in school but I don't think it really caught on. I wanted to do it but could never really find out any information about it so I just went to games without getting any credit for it in that department. This would be a better way of doing that initial idea, but I don't know how many recent alumni you're going to find who want to sit in the student section with drunk 18 year olds. My last 2 years in college the most common facebook post I saw from friends of mine who graduated was "Anyone selling a non-student section ticket for this weekend's game?" It would work if they separated a spot though.
 
57stratdawg

57stratdawg

Heisman
Dec 1, 2004
148,408
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Great idea. I'm a young alumni surrounded by 35-60 year old alumni on the West side and it's a bit of a drag. We sneak in booze every game, and get all types of snide looks.
 
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bonedaddy401

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Aug 3, 2012
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The answer is simple: Sell Beer In The Stadium

I think a young allum section is a great idea and can be done right BUT if you want to keep the students in the stands.. sell beer in the stadium. Bring the party to where they are. Bet it keeps more than the students in the stadium once you start to examine the impact.
 
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Wicked Pissah

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Aug 22, 2012
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57stratdawg said:
Great idea. I'm a young alumni surrounded by 35-60 year old alumni on the West side and it's a bit of a drag. We sneak in booze every game, and get all types of snide looks.
Click to expand...

Plus 1000. Plus, Im the only one that remotely cheers or tries to get people up for big defensive stands. Well, the old "high 5 guy" from vickburg will rock with me now and then.
 
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muhstate

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Aug 29, 2013
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Selling beer after halftime for the student section would most likely be a good start. I know too many friends in college that would be drunk as a skunk by halftime if they could start drinking at the beginning of the game. Might have to be a slow introduction.

Beer after halftime, two beer limit would be the best imo.

For the young alumni, block off a section in the new north endzone?
 
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Daddy Rabbit Dawg

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Mar 3, 2008
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I've thought this was a great idea for years. It's similar to country clubs having a junior membership program with discounted initiation fees and dues. It's allows people under 30 to ease themselves into a full membership.
 
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RobbieRandolph

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Apr 17, 2008
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www.rebels25.com

muhstate said:
With the pitifully display of the student section the last few years, why not offer a "Young Alumni" section to replace some of the student section and keep the recent graduates involved?

Many MSU graduates are taking entry level jobs and/or have student loan debt, why not encourage enthusiastic new alumni with an opportunity to get involved early with the university and the alumni association? Maybe for those under 30?

Ticket prices would fall somewhere between student season ticket holders and regular season ticket holders, with the option for an extra ticket to be purchased for a wife or fellow alumni. To prevent the tickets from ending up on a second hand market, maybe a badge of ID card instead of physical tickets?

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

We're a step behind if we, in fact, do implement this.
 
R

ronpolk

All-Conference
May 6, 2009
9,149
4,752
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The problem with the students is they have no money in the tickets. When I was a student (04-08) it cost like $20 for season tickets. It's pretty easy to get up and leave a game when you paid 3-5 dollars for the ticket. I'm not saying we should stick it to the students but an increase in price would make the game less of a social scene.
 
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muhstate

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Aug 29, 2013
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I'm not sure how you really encourage students to stay for the game unless you raise the price and/or reduce the amount of tickets. I think reducing a little might help but overall it isn't much of a solution... other than letting them booze it up in the end zones.
 
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RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
18,975
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bonedaddy401 said:
I think a young allum section is a great idea and can be done right BUT if you want to keep the students in the stands.. sell beer in the stadium. Bring the party to where they are. Bet it keeps more than the students in the stadium once you start to examine the impact.
Click to expand...

You'd have to lower the drinking back to 18 (like it was when I was a student) before you could do that. And if you think the uproar over the Katherine Webb video was something, wait'll you hear the responses if this was ever considered by the University. Baptists, ya know ....
 
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af102

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May 17, 2009
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The new student entrances and seats will change things a ton next year. I think you will see less students going in to the stadium right when the gates open because there won't be a rush for 40 yard line student seats. All the end zone seats are basically the same unless you get crammed into the corner. I know when I sat in the Auburn student section in 2009, there were still students filing into the end zone right around kickoff.

Bigger/dedicated student entrances will also allow the lines to move quicker, so you'll see more people going in around an hour before instead of 2 hours before. This solves a couple of problems- drink/eat longer in the junction, flask lasts longer into the game, and you don't get "stadium fatigue" early.

The ease of getting concessions for students will also influence their decisions to stay or go, and that situation is only improving next year as well.
 
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bonedaddy401

Redshirt
Aug 3, 2012
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I'm well aware...

students leaving early is problem everywhere. The LSU student section was only 75% full at the end of their game last week. Against Florida. The SEC needs to get with it and let beer be sold for revenue and to keep asses in the stands. This isn't your parents or grandparents era. People can drink beer at a game and not be possessed by Satan. Hell they may even dance a little just look the other way.

It doesn't need to be 18 for whoever said that, don't be so naive.
 
horshack.sixpack

horshack.sixpack

All-American
Oct 30, 2012
11,360
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If there is a way to not allow students in until closer to kickoff, that might help. I know some of the seat savers don't last long because they are tired/hot/whatever by about halfway through. Of course my point of reference is freshman greeks who are forced to go save seats early, so they may not account for a huge percentage of the crowd...
 
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HammerOfTheDogs

All-Conference
Jun 20, 2001
10,766
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Press gangs?
 
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512taylor

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Sep 2, 2012
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57stratdawg said:
Great idea. I'm a young alumni surrounded by 35-60 year old alumni on the West side and it's a bit of a drag. We sneak in booze every game, and get all types of snide looks.
Click to expand...

I'm a 60+ year old alum.

Can you sneak me in some, too?
 
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Squidawg11

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Sep 18, 2012
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The way to improve the student's sections is to

Give the fraternities block seating. They will be evaluated at the end of season and if they do not keep their section full the entire game, they lose their block. I know a lot of yall will disagree with this and I know it is not fair, but coming from an ex student, the best way to keep the student section rowdy is to keep the fraternities together. If the fraternities stay rowdy then it becomes contagious and the entire student section benefits and entices more to stay longer. Most spontaneous stadium chants are started by these groups. It was even that way in Omaha.
 
jakldawg

jakldawg

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May 1, 2006
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RocketDawg said:
You'd have to lower the drinking back to 18 (like it was when I was a student) before you could do that.
Click to expand...
Why would you have to do that? Plenty of college programs sell beer at their stadiums, and the drinking age everywhere is 21. Several of the AAC (i.e. former BigEast) schools do it. Hell, WKU used to sell it at their baseball games (in a blatant attempt to improve student attendance).

Like I said before in the other thread, the "privilege" to pay way too much for a beer at a football game will not be the factor in whether or not students make it to the 4th quarter.
 
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HughJazz

Redshirt
Dec 12, 2012
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Squidawg11 said:
Give the fraternities block seating. They will be evaluated at the end of season and if they do not keep their section full the entire game, they lose their block. I know a lot of yall will disagree with this and I know it is not fair, but coming from an ex student, the best way to keep the student section rowdy is to keep the fraternities together. If the fraternities stay rowdy then it becomes contagious and the entire student section benefits and entices more to stay longer. Most spontaneous stadium chants are started by these groups. It was even that way in Omaha.
Click to expand...
YES! I believe Auburn and other schools do this.. The problem now is that the students are not allowed to "save seats" or have sections so it can be fair to everyone. But some fraternities have had certain sections in the student section for years(top left bitchez). This would keep unwanted people out of a section which would cause less fights and more energy to the student section. Also the University has been cracking down on people throwing drinks and cups during games, so knowing which section its coming from could help them solve that problem easier
 
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Dawgdom

Redshirt
Sep 20, 2011
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Ideas to Improve Attendance Moving Forward...Win more games and the wagon will not be able to hold the crowds.
 
aTotal360

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
21,749
14,402
113
Sell virtual student tickets to next home game in the stadium at the end of the 4th quarter. The cost of the tickets can be added to their running tab or auto deducted from moneymate/bully bucks.

Make students get their student IDs scanned at the end of the game. This gives them credit to enter the next home game. Whatever virtual tickets don't get sold, open them up to sell the following Monday.
 
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