THE IUP Football Thread

[EyeoftheHawk]

That's all true but students weren't really the full story. As I said, we were down almost 4,000 and sure as hell we don't get 4,000 students at a game.

I seriously believe the opening of the firearms deer season had something to do with it on top of everything else. I know a lot of people who said they weren’t coming because they were hunting. This is western PA and there’s a pretty deep hunting culture.

Lack of promotion didn’t help. You wouldn’t think it matters much but it does. This shouldn’t surprise anyone but IUP was asleep at the switch. I guess everyone wanted to get out of there and on break so they didn’t bother.

Regardless, IUP got the job done and I expect it to be a completely different atmosphere on Saturday. Right now the forecast is for mid 50’s and only a slight chance of rain. That can obviously change between now and then. One way or another, this will very likely IUP’s last home game this year. I suppose if Wingate and Colorado Mines both pull upsets the winner of IUP/Shepherd could get the home game, but that’s highly unlikely.

[IUPNation]

Glad to come to Miller. We lost that opportunity fair and square. Just a bummer that a solid program can't garner even mediocre support.

I wouldn't say that Shepherd has an ingrained student culture that promotes itself as the thing to do on fall Saturdays in comparison with SRU (FS82). I think its just the administration "allows" the event to flourish as a festive and fun event (aka allowing alcohol with little interference). 1 tailgating lot is just showing no support to your football program. Just a shame.

So one game all season with low attendance defines us as a fan base. Ok. Got it.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Glad to come to Miller. We lost that opportunity fair and square. Just a bummer that a solid program can't garner even mediocre support.

I wouldn't say that Shepherd has an ingrained student culture that promotes itself as the thing to do on fall Saturdays in comparison with SRU (FS82). I think its just the administration "allows" the event to flourish as a festive and fun event (aka allowing alcohol with little interference). 1 tailgating lot is just showing no support to your football program. Just a shame.

They averaged 4,900 all season prior to the playoff dud. So, they did have a pretty good year at the gate.

Men's basketball leads the Region in attendance every year (and it isn't close).

I'm just hoping last Saturday was just simply a dud. That said, I'll take the win in an empty stadium over a loss in a full stadium.

[Fightingscot82]

If stadiums equaled on the field success then the Cowturds would have multiple rings since the Jerrydome opened.

The KCAC has more events hence it’s nicer.

Today must be Take a Piss on IUP Day.

Speaking of...I did a lot of stupid things as a college student visiting IUP for a weekend but the closest I ever came to being arrested was peeing on Jimmy. Worst part was that when I zipped up and ran away, I caught myself with my zipper. Ducked into a house party by some fake fraternity of drummers in the marching band before the police spotlight had me. I think this was February 2003.

[Ram040506]

Again. Holiday weekend. People were other places.

The Shepherd fans can look down at us all they want, the game isn’t being moved to their stadium.

Glad to come to Miller. We lost that opportunity fair and square. Just a bummer that a solid program can't garner even mediocre support.

I wouldn't say that Shepherd has an ingrained student culture that promotes itself as the thing to do on fall Saturdays in comparison with SRU (FS82). I think its just the administration "allows" the event to flourish as a festive and fun event (aka allowing alcohol with little interference). 1 tailgating lot is just showing no support to your football program. Just a shame.

[Ram Tough]

After watching Ferris Pitt, my heart goes out to the PSAC for having to deal with those refs week in and week out. It wasn't one sided or anything, but, wow, were they ever bad. I mean "read the cliff's notes of refereeing for dummies, but have never been to a football game" bad.

It's absolutely horrible watching the PSAC refs just bumble around. And there is no consistency, unless being bad week to week counts.

[Predatory Primates]

After watching Ferris Pitt, my heart goes out to the PSAC for having to deal with those refs week in and week out. It wasn't one sided or anything, but, wow, were they ever bad. I mean "read the cliff's notes of refereeing for dummies, but have never been to a football game" bad.

[IUPNation]

Question IUP fans

you’ve got a rock solid football program, a state of the art Bball facility, why is your football stadium such a dump?

attended the Ashland game, very nice campus, nice town, D1 type of Bball arena, and your football stadium was not nice at all.

is there a future plan to make your stadium match your football programs success?

If stadiums equaled on the field success then the Cowturds would have multiple rings since the Jerrydome opened.

The KCAC has more events hence it’s nicer.

Today must be Take a Piss on IUP Day.

[GLIAC Fan]

Question IUP fans

you’ve got a rock solid football program, a state of the art Bball facility, why is your football stadium such a dump?

attended the Ashland game, very nice campus, nice town, D1 type of Bball arena, and your football stadium was not nice at all.

is there a future plan to make your stadium match your football programs success?

[IUPNation]

Again. Holiday weekend. People were other places.

The Shepherd fans can look down at us all they want, the game isn’t being moved to their stadium.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

SRU has historically drawn the best in the PSAC. Its part of the campus culture - a weekend football game is THE thing to do if you do something on campus. A lot of IUP's fanbase are older locals who have attended for 40-50 years. IUP has one tailgate lot. SRU has four.

Students up and down just don't care about PSAC sports. "Gameday" is merely viewed as another day at work by those who could improve atmosphere & experience.

That's all true but students weren't really the full story. As I said, we were down almost 4,000 and sure as hell we don't get 4,000 students at a game.

[Fightingscot82]

I don't get it. It's not like you guys sucked for a decade and are wooing people back into the seats. Been a pretty strong product for 30+ years, you'd think there would be a much better following than that. Slippery Rock may have brought more fans to Shepherdstown than you guys had at a home game, excluding those from Ashland.

SRU has historically drawn the best in the PSAC. Its part of the campus culture - a weekend football game is THE thing to do if you do something on campus. A lot of IUP's fanbase are older locals who have attended for 40-50 years. IUP has one tailgate lot. SRU has four.

Students up and down just don't care about PSAC sports. "Gameday" is merely viewed as another day at work by those who could improve atmosphere & experience.

[Ram040506]

Apparently a lot of people. Trust me. I was there. That announced gate may have actually been beefed up a bit.

I don't get it. It's not like you guys sucked for a decade and are wooing people back into the seats. Been a pretty strong product for 30+ years, you'd think there would be a much better following than that. Slippery Rock may have brought more fans to Shepherdstown than you guys had at a home game, excluding those from Ashland.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I mean who didn’t know there was a game? You have be either deaf and blind or dead.

Apparently a lot of people. Trust me. I was there. That announced gate may have actually been beefed up a bit.

[IUPNation]

IUP Home Gates this year (in order of home date):

Mercyhurst	5,292
Slippery Rock	5,429
Seton Hill	4,105
Clarion	5,927
Shepherd	3,878
Ashland	1,295

Regular season average (which includes the State Game): 4,926


I'm perhaps low-balling my guess, but of the 1,295 at last Saturday's Wake, at least 400 were from Ashland. So, IUP had about 900 fans at a Round 2 playoff game. Granted, the holiday/empty campus excuse is legit. But, that game drew 3,631 below this season's average. I can absolutely promise you IUP isn't getting 3,631 students at any football game.

So, what happened? It wasn't the weather. It was fairly nice for late November. It wasn't the product on the field -- it was the Sweet 16 after all with two really good teams.

My guess is a lot of people didn't even know the game was happening. There was next to no marketing. It wasn't Band Day or Hall of Fame Day or Homecoming or any of the other get-people-in-the-seats promotions. The tailgate lot was near dead. There was no buzz in Indiana last week. The band and cheerleaders not being there is so irritating I don't even want to talk about it.

I sure hope IUP fans redeem themselves this weekend. That was embarrassing. We make fun of the 'senior citizen' culture inside Miller Stadium. But, they made up about 95% of IUP fans in attendance 48 hours ago.

I mean who didn’t know there was a game? You have be either deaf and blind or dead.

It was a holiday weekend and people had other things to do.