Fan Experience

[Mulerider]

Hey everyone. I have a huge topic/question. I see many young people and older people going to less sporting events than ever before. While there are some attendance boosts going on in D2, I still feel like that this has room to grow. My question/discussion topic is... What can school's do/What can fan's do to make the game day experience better? Here is what I am thinking.

Schools can do

1. Upgrade sound system for music/PA if outdated
2. Offer more comfortable seating
3. Offer community tailgating/school sponsored free food event
4. Apoint some sort of spirit leader to lead calls and cheers during the game.
5. Offer better tier levels of tickets. I feel like so many schools have only two options (Low/High Price point)
6. Continue to offer low price merchandise so that the fans can be decked out in your school's colors.
7. Offer more interaction between players/fans
8. Ask for fan feedback!
9. Make sure the PA Announcer is keeping up with the times/is energetic.

Fans can do

1. Bring more kids to games and teach them about the game.
2. Get off your phones during the game and be more rowdy.
3. Stay after the game is over and congratulate the players.
4. Come to the tailgates
5. Invite a friend


Some of this may be repetitive. I just feel that the experience has to be enhanced or people will just watch it online/TV. There has to be a shift.

[Weevil Watcher]

[Mulerider]

Re: Fan Experience

You would have to divide SAU, Henderson, Harding, and OBU evenly some how. Maybe have Harding and SAU in one and Henderson and OBU in the other? Idk how that would work. Also I think you are going to have to have a non conference game in there or two maybe. Or play those with the MIAA. I am getting tired of watching the same teams myself, but it is better than nothing.

[Bigworm]

Re: Fan Experience

There is a very very simple solution to this problem. Quit livestream and cancel all the multi million dollar TV contracts. I have a sneaking suspicion that neither is ever going to happen. For example, 20 years ago SEC teams may get a couple of games a year on TV. Now every game is on TV. 20 years ago there was no such thing as livestream. Heck, in my little town they livestream peewee games sometimes.

[Mulerider]

Re: Fan Experience

There is a very very simple solution to this problem. Quit livestream and cancel all the multi million dollar TV contracts. I have a sneaking suspicion that neither is ever going to happen. For example, 20 years ago SEC teams may get a couple of games a year on TV. Now every game is on TV. 20 years ago there was no such thing as livestream. Heck, in my little town they livestream peewee games sometimes.

I'm not sure Livestreaming is the problem for small schools. D1 schools yes, but on the D2 level so many people go to the games if they are under an hour away. I know so many people in Magnolia that would go to the games, just because it was something to do and fairly cheap. If you are an Arkansas fan, and maybe a Fayetteville native, you may not go to the game because it's $60 or $70 a ticket. This is compared to like $9 or $10 for D2 and I believe it's $15 for UCA. I just think schools really need to increase the fan experience for all and not just the rich.

[TigerGuy]

Re: Fan Experience

Hey everyone. I have a huge topic/question. I see many young people and older people going to less sporting events than ever before. While there are some attendance boosts going on in D2, I still feel like that this has room to grow. My question/discussion topic is... What can school's do/What can fan's do to make the game day experience better? Here is what I am thinking.

Schools can do

1. Upgrade sound system for music/PA if outdated
2. Offer more comfortable seating
3. Offer community tailgating/school sponsored free food event
4. Apoint some sort of spirit leader to lead calls and cheers during the game.
5. Offer better tier levels of tickets. I feel like so many schools have only two options (Low/High Price point)
6. Continue to offer low price merchandise so that the fans can be decked out in your school's colors.
7. Offer more interaction between players/fans
8. Ask for fan feedback!
9. Make sure the PA Announcer is keeping up with the times/is energetic.

Fans can do

1. Bring more kids to games and teach them about the game.
2. Get off your phones during the game and be more rowdy.
3. Stay after the game is over and congratulate the players.
4. Come to the tailgates
5. Invite a friend


Some of this may be repetitive. I just feel that the experience has to be enhanced or people will just watch it online/TV. There has to be a shift.

Win

[Brandon]

Re: Fan Experience

Great posts guys.

[Mulerider]

Re: Fan Experience

The biggest single thing I think a school can do is upgrade your PA/Sound System. I hate listening to announcers on a speaker that sounds like it was dropped in a lake. UCA's is possibly the worst I have ever listened too. It's up on a Pole. SAU's isn't too bad. School's have to get something like that in the works. Even just replace the speaker and keep the old boxes.