Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

[Coach34]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

on maroonandwhitenation.com

there is no doubt that losing the Saturday DH'ers has hurt Miss State baseball and it's crowds. An 8-10K crowd for a Saturday DH was just the norm. Now then, I know winning more will help with the crowds (altho if you want to win more, we need better crowds to attract players)- but I think it is more than that. Now Saturday's are just a 2 1/2 hr game instead of an all-day tailgating party.

Besides winning, what are some things we could add to the Saturday experience to get the crowd numbers back somewhat????

 

[Coach34]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

on maroonandwhitenation.com

there is no doubt that losing the Saturday DH'ers has hurt Miss State baseball and it's crowds. An 8-10K crowd for a Saturday DH was just the norm. Now then, I know winning more will help with the crowds (altho if you want to win more, we need better crowds to attract players)- but I think it is more than that. Now Saturday's are just a 2 1/2 hr game instead of an all-day tailgating party.

Besides winning, what are some things we could add to the Saturday experience to get the crowd numbers back somewhat????

 

[Tds & Beer]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

All the top parks have them now. That might help make the decision for some parents. Could also make a larger, more permanent right field deck for people who want to sit in the outfield or party and don't really have anyone to sit with out there. You could do both of these things immediately without having to secure a ton of money first like we will before we rennovate the whole thing.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

to you. i can just see it now, thousands in the ballpark waiting in line to shake your hand and take pictures with you... thousands more outside the ballpark waiting to buy tickets to the next game...

it'd be a hit.

 

[jb1020]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

I'm not a season ticket holder, with football and basketball tickets I'm exhausted come baseball season. If I were to head up on Saturday I would have to sit in those bleachers that don't even face home plate. Thats ridiculous.

I don't personally know anyone in the LFL to get a good spot there and the season ticket holders have gobbled up the chair backs.

So my options are pretty limited. Bleachers or a grassy spot in right field.

I used to think it would be a travesty if they did away with the LFL, but I have second thoughts about it now. We don't really have a true students section. LFL is where the frat guys go, but that doesn't work for anyone else.

I say lets have a party deck in the outfield with nice seating. Still have the "prime seating" for season ticket holders in the grandstand, but extend permanent seating down the lines, do away with the bleachers.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

We need GA space for students and GA space for non-lounge adults to bring a cooler in, pitch a tent possible, grill out, and drink beer, i.e copy exactly what Ole Miss has done with their outfield.

 

[champ.sixpack]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

Right field is almost no man's land with tents set up along the top part of the hill and people standing along the outfield fence. It's a prime opportunity to make a deck or tiered seating there. It needs to be a place where anyone can go to hang out and drink beer. It needs to be tiered from the outfield fence upwards, and make a back line for tailgate tents to be set up right there. It would definitely help the atmosphere. I think the LFL needs to stay the same. If it isn't broke, dont fix it. Right field, and a playground for kids by the opposing bullpen are a must in the offseason.

 

[Arthur2478]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

My Suggestions:

1- This is been a glaring need for YEARS! We need an honest to goodness ticket exchange. A system where I, as a season ticket holder, could mark the games that I'm unable to attend and have them become available for purchase to the general public via the internet. Should they sale, I get the face value of my ticket (minus a fee). I'm happy, the people who bought them are happy, and the athletic department should be happy that more people have grandstand access. Buyers could just print the tickets and the bar codes on my tickets become inactive. It can't be that hard.

2- The most enthusiastic section of the football stadium and basketball arena are the student sections. Why is there not a designated section for the students? Establish one in the outfield behind the right field fence. Build an open picnic area where the all the students are welcome to set/tailgate/lounge. Build them their own right field restroom too.

3- The Left Field Lounge is a special place in college athletics. However if you don't know someone with a contraption, you'll never get the chance to experience it. With the addition of a student section in right field, the fraternities shouldn't need dedicated outfield contraptions. With those gone, replace them with open seating contraptions. They could be occupied by a mixture of first come first serve as well as some season tickets on a limited number basis.

4- Get rid of the bleachers all together and replace them with a far fewer number of chair backs, topped with a club level. Yes, I'm advocating contraction! We have way too many seats. People know they can get tickets anytime they want them. The basis of economics is supply versus demand. Our supply is far greater than our demand. We need to encourage people to purchase season tickets by diminishing the supply. A 10K seat Dudy-Noble would average greater attendance than our current 15K seat version does.

 

[jb1020]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

I should be able to go to a ticket exchange and print off your ticket 2 hours before a game.

Cause as it stands at this point, you can't make the game and I can't get a chair back. Its a ridiculously easy problem to fix.

 

[MemphisMaroonClubDog]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

are you trying to get 5k in listeners now??? Maybe you can have more than will attend SBW</p>

 

[Foronce]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

Baseball needs to be better marketed. The product is not pulling in the people. I don't know when the games start are unless I go to hailstate.com and look for myself. Football is easy you know to plan your Saturdays in the fall. Sometimes they play tuesday sometimes they travel. As good at marketing as that AD office, they should be announcing everywhere to come watch a game, consistently telling students it is free. I can't even tell you who the marketing/media guy is for baseball, if it is bart gregory. He either needs to be the color guy or be a media guy cause he is sucking right now at media guy, if it is him.

I can't believe we don't already have a ticket exchange already in place.

 

[rem101]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

and let the students just file in there and around the first part of right field? Not sure if that would work or not but it would get a general space for students without removing left field lounge.

 

[patdog]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

We've been down so long that it's going to take a while to get it built back up again. I used to go to at least 1 game almost every home weekend. I haven't been to a game since 2003, except for 1 midweek game when I was in Columbus for work. I honestly don't know if I'll ever go back more than once a year or so no matter how much we win.</p>

 

[State82]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

The ticket exchange should become a top priority for some underling in the AD office and it should be up and running, tested and ready to go by next February. This alone would help the appearance of our program as much as anything right now. Well, that and winning a few SEC games. But I digress. I also agree that somehow, some way, the bleachers need to go. Even if we just replace them with some earthen, low sloped, grassed berms for now to help the aesthetics of the facility. There should be plenty of LA help on campus for this project, which would be very economical. Those bleachers are just completely out-of-place, ugly, uncomfortable, hot, etc. Gotta get rid of them. Stricklin needs to put some folks on these ideas asap. They are relatively easy to implement, especially the ticket exchange. The bleacher issue would not be that big of a deal either. Let people out there for $5 or $6 and with a good ticket exchange, they could be money ahead if it is all handled correctly. Also, on the ticket exchange idea, I would be fine with MSU taking my unused chairbacks and reselling them with no refund to me. As it is now, I am out that money anyway if I can't make the game. Maybe they could add it to your account/points in some way.

 

[weblow]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

I went to a game with a buddy at Ole Miss. We had the option of sitting in chairbacks or we had another buddy who set up a tent in the outfield. I was originally a little concerned that we would be the old guys with a bunch of students around (we are in our mid 30's). It wasn't my trip so I just followed their lead.

The outfield was a mix of students and people our age. I knew all sorts of people out there and we were all sitting out there because of the coolers and atmosphere. I will be the first to admit that it was awesome. The crowd is into it and the atmosphere was great. The beer certainly helped.

We don't have that option at our games. LFL is a unique setting but unless you know someone with a spot, you are screwed and stuck on the bleachers. I will be honest, I would rather sit at home and watch the game on Hailstate TV than I would ever sit in those bleachers for another game. I will be damned if I am going to load up and drive to Starkville for a 2.5 hour game and watch it from the bleachers, with zero beer and zero fun.

We need to involve the students.

I am also a huge believer that the price of a LFL spot should be drastically increased. It is a more desired spot than the damn sky boxes and we charge next to nothing for it. The spots are willed down to the next generation and we don't capitalize on the money to be made. I am not saying it all comes down to money, but I think if we drove the prices up, we would run out some of the guys that renew a spot every year and have 3 people show up to each game. It would make it where a group of people, maybe your tailgating group, could go in together and purchase a spot and utilize it more than it is being used right now.

It has been a long damn time since state was the "number one place to watch a collegiate baseball game" and we need some serious changes to draw fans in. Our Athletic Department has really been lapped when it comes to our facility and our gameday experience.

 

[bulldogcountry1]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

Is that Dudy Noble has become an exclusive club where the members aren't coming and the visitors can't enjoy the best parts of it. You can't get a chair back unless you pay a scalper or buy them on stubhub for full price plus fees. How many families can afford to do that over an SEC weekend? You can just stand around and hope some old guy gives you his wife's ticket, but that's hit or miss. You also can't enjoy the LFL unless you know someone, and those guys who have those spots locked down attend sparingly.

So, that leaves the bleachers as the most likely option, and they just suck. The view is terrible, and you end up sitting among a bunch of high school kids who couldn't care less about the game. Frankly, there isn't much appeal for the average fan who would like to bring his family and enjoy the park, but can't afford to be a member.

 

[State82]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

My Dad and I have 4 chairbacks and have had them for 12 or 14 years. My family sits in the outfield with friends every time we go. Sometimes 2 of the seats are used, sometimes they are completely empty. I have tried several times to give them away but couldn't. That's how bad its become at DNF. However, you bring up some excellent issues and Scott Stricklin needs to take note.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

We have no ability to grow our baseball brand to the average fan or even the average STUDENT. It's sad what it's become, but the LFL purists swear its the best place to watch a game in the whole world. Well, yeah, if you're name is Hobie it is, but other than that, no, it's not.

 

[weblow]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

 

[CadaverDawg]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

You hit the nail on the head. Last year I went to several games, and I sat in the bleachers for a majority of them....no more though. Those bleachers suck ***, and baseball games are zero fun when you're baking on those ****** bleachers and facing the centerfield wall. As much as it pains me to say, Ole Miss completely got it right with their outfield. If I could go to a game and hang out in the outfield where you can stretch your legs a little bit and drink a cold beer, I would attend a game or two every home series no doubt.

I really like the idea of an earlier poster about removing the bleachers and making it grass...but I would take it one more step, and make it two large grassy areas on each side where the bleachers are. Give it two levels where the upper grassy areas can be grilled on, and then drop down a few feet towards field level with a lower grassy area that people can sit or stand around and drink beer. It would allow the old timers to fill in the grandstand, but people other than frat guys can have places to drink and socialize. It would be like tailgating the entire game and it would likely improve attendance and atmosphere. The ticket exchange is a must also.

 

[Goat Still Grindin]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

They are all good ideas. Ideas we would all love to see. It truly may be a case of the AD just not hearing the people.....you'd be surprised how quiet some folks can be.

 

[GroveHard]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

hereforthedudes

 

[State82]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

you would be welcome to them at no charge. If something changes I will PM you.

 

[MSDawg34]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

and tell fans they can sit anywhere but go by the honor code and if someone shows with their tickets then move... Along with the exchange to guarantee you a seat where you want it

 

[DavidKellumNicknameGenerator]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

but would it be possible to take down the bleachers and build a small grassy hill down to the bullpens?

It would probably decrease total capacity some, but you could put the students along first base by the visitor's bullpen and make the other one for families and alumni.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

ole fiss fans get drunk at ALL sporting events. that is the ONLY way they know how to watch sports. i would hope we were better than that.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

Its not like we are talking Higgs Boson participles here. This is common sense.

 

[weblow]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

I may make fun of Ole Miss a good bit but drinking while watching sports is part of the fun. Hell, it is the only way I have survived as a State fan for all of these years.

 

[mcdawg22]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

..including podcast numbers, why go to games when you can practically smell the fresh cut grass with Coach's insight?

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

...in the grandstand but gave them up. Maybe if I lived in the Starkville area it'd been worth it but I didn't go as often as I once did-- it wasn't fun & more often then not no one wanted to go whenever I offered to friends.

 

[DoctorTobiasFunke]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

nm

 

[OURstateBlog]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

with what weblow said. And I do think attendance will pick up some when winning increases, but some of it really is due to the fact that Dudy Noble has become a party for a select few that the rest of us don't get to come to.

they've all already been said pretty much, but I would:

-raise LFL prices, and require a minimum Bulldog Club donation
-take out all the trailers from the scoreboard to the foul pole on the right side and expand the deck area for students (and us used to be students too)
-the ticket exchange is a GREAT idea. That being said, I don't know how difficult it is to pull that off, but if State could, that would help too
-renovations, renovations, renovations

I understand right now football is the priority when it comes to renovations (to increased $$$), but I really hope as soon as they start with the Davis Wade expansion, that they start pushing hard for Dudy Noble upgrades. And could we even do away with the bleachers? Maybe do away with one and leave the other, with room to expand down the road if we actually start filling the stadium again. Maybe take the bleachers out down the right field line and make a whole picnic area like the Birmingham park does and that would extend around to the new student section under the scoreboard

 

[Mjoelner]

Question about baseball attendance- Todd and I talked about this on our show last night

• Renovate the stadium and start by removing bleachers and adding chairback seats followed by open concession areas like modern parks have.
• Do away with ALL parking passes in the LFL. There are more cars and trucks out there than there are spots. Your're not going camping, you're going to a freaking baseball game. You don't have to haul 200lbs of equipment with you to every game! WALK like everybody else!
• Do away with that ugly-*** big green metal wall in centerfield. Even with a modern rennovation of the stadium, the park will still be ugly as **** with that thing sitting back there. Hitting background by ***!!! I guess we'd be batting .150 without it instead of around .250.
• Have a designated student area in the chairback section if we don't have one now. I know we used to have one right behind 1st base.
• Ticket exchange.
• Require that a minimum of 4 season tickets be purchased byeach spot in the LFL (of course people on the trailer will pitch in with the owner for these) andMSU will determine if your spot is renewed based on your ticket usage. ie: Youown a spot and only come to 25% of the games, your *** is out and the next person on the waiting list gets your spot in the lounge.
• If they haven't done it already, tell the lifetme seat owners...SORRY! This could be part of the rennovation too.

Some observations and opinions

• Someone mentioned having to join the Bulldog Club to get a spot in the lounge. That is already required.
• One problem with the lounge is that at any given time, I'm willing to bet that 70% of the people out there couldn't tell you the score or the inning without looking at the scoreboard first. When I first joined a crew out there (Mac's first year whatever that was), everybody in the lounge was into the game. It has since turned intoa place to be seen and to hookup instead of a place to kick back, raise hell and watch baseball. Sadly, its now MSU's version of the Grove.
• My suggestion to those that want to experience the lounge but don't have a spot, go out there and make friends. Most people out there are very accomodating. Especially if you bring food and don't mooch. The only time we've ever turned strangers away is on Super Bulldog Weekend when we know we're going to have an overflow crowd anyway.

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