Let's hear about the game day experience at your LSC school

[Goods]

CWU's tailgate atmosphere improved quite a bit probably 15 years ago and it has continued to be consistently packed for our area. I'm happy with that.

I'm a "I just need the game to keep me entertained" kind of guy (maybe a "get off my lawn" mentality), but I will admit a great CWU band helps tremendously. Also, I like the alumni berm at the north end and hopefully that has created a great revenue stream as you can eat/drink the good stuff there and it's always packed. The video board is a big improvement, turf, lights, better bathrooms, food options. All great. Even in-game day contests, giveaways are good.

Things to improve.........speakers/sound.

I'm told the master plan to basically tear down the existing home stands is in place, not sure about the timeline or funding, but that will improve seating, more space for concessions and merch, hopefully more higher value seating like suites and more seat backs. And I'd like to see more permanent visitor seating. Official capacity is 4,000, but when home side is full, berm is full and there's a solid amount of fans in the visitor seats or leaning on the fences around the field, we're at 5,000-plus easily. I think we hit 6,000 twice last year. Fudging the numbers a bit? Sure, but we're well over 4,000 each game I'd say (except Rodeo Bowl 3 weeks before school starts).

[tsull]

rap is almost as bad as squeaky girl. I prefer music, and not so much of it at a football game.

Agree here. The key is to have a good marching band, like CWU. Funny, when I go to D1 games they'll blast awful recorded music and then the band plays and everyone is pumped up, including the students. Of course, the schools admins will never admit this and think we're all wrong.

Being the cantankerous s-it stirrer that I am, I emailed the WOU music dept., they responded nicely and said they have a drumline, but not marching band. I'd rather go silent than have to listen to the garbage they're playing and they do it after EVERY play and right up until the snap. Never seen that at any stadium in any division. It's torture. I'll keep working it, but it'll be considered a yelling at clouds moment. I just want them to keep up the good stuff like being competitive football, soccer, X-C, and fix the bad stuff like men's and women's hoops and women's hoop scandals. That's not too much to ask.

[SW_Mustang]

This is probably just intended for the LSC - but I love the thread idea, so here's my opinion of SMSU:

Tailgating has been a big point of emphasis at SMSU - they reorganized it and it's made the pregame much more festive. They started allowing businesses/vendors in the tailgate area free of charge. They've got inflatables, even had a petting zoo one week last year. It's dramatically increased the amount of people who come to the pregame, and I think it's even helping to drive attendance a bit. On top of it there was also a fan group that formed that's been helping out.

We're pretty fortunate to have a pep bend - as tiny as they are. I know at one point they were opening it up for community members to come play too - not sure if they're still doing that or not.

Then they have the pre-game run-in with the horse too, which is my favorite.

The thing that excites me the most is that they're starting to find appeal with the student body - when I went, we really didn't have a student section. It would usually just be girlfriends/friends and the occasional group of other athletes. Now it seems like students are taking a bit more pride in the school and team - despite the on-field product. That came from an institutional overhaul, in my opinion.

My hope is that we take it and run with it - make pregames a local event, get as many people out as we can.

Volleyball is also a pretty big deal at SMSU - and my favorite Saturday's were doing the football/volleyball doubleheader, especially on homecoming or if there was a big team in town. Not sure how that plays into the grand scheme of the atmosphere but it was always important to me personally.

[Goods]

This is probably just intended for the LSC - but I love the thread idea, so here's my opinion of SMSU:

Tailgating has been a big point of emphasis at SMSU - they reorganized it and it's made the pregame much more festive. They started allowing businesses/vendors in the tailgate area free of charge. They've got inflatables, even had a petting zoo one week last year. It's dramatically increased the amount of people who come to the pregame, and I think it's even helping to drive attendance a bit. On top of it there was also a fan group that formed that's been helping out.

We're pretty fortunate to have a pep bend - as tiny as they are. I know at one point they were opening it up for community members to come play too - not sure if they're still doing that or not.

Then they have the pre-game run-in with the horse too, which is my favorite.

The thing that excites me the most is that they're starting to find appeal with the student body - when I went, we really didn't have a student section. It would usually just be girlfriends/friends and the occasional group of other athletes. Now it seems like students are taking a bit more pride in the school and team - despite the on-field product. That came from an institutional overhaul, in my opinion.

My hope is that we take it and run with it - make pregames a local event, get as many people out as we can.

Volleyball is also a pretty big deal at SMSU - and my favorite Saturday's were doing the football/volleyball doubleheader, especially on homecoming or if there was a big team in town. Not sure how that plays into the grand scheme of the atmosphere but it was always important to me personally.

This sounds like an administration that gets it...........and the community is responding.

[SW_Mustang]

This sounds like an administration that gets it...........and the community is responding.

Yup. It's a different school than the one I went too - I'm pretty excited about our future. Now if we could just win a dang game on the football field...

I was always of the mindset that I'd rather be outside on a beautiful September Saturday than crammed inside - I think a lot of people are like that. Once they started giving people a reason to come - the people came.

It's funny to me but the solution to tailgating involved spending no money and charging no money to the local businesses - but it seemed to build good will with the community. Letting food trucks come in gave nontailgaters a reason to go early and hang out. I'm hoping we find a way to take it further at some point.

A lot of it seems to be family-oriented too. Not just college kids getting hammered. They have their own lot for that.

[AngeloFan]

Game day here is ruined by the 300 pound babes on the dance team, cheerleaders and twirlers Not sure who thought that would be a good idea..

[Herb Street]

Game day here is ruined by the 300 pound babes on the dance team, cheerleaders and twirlers Not sure who thought that would be a good idea..

link?

[ASUPops]

Game day here is ruined by the 300 pound babes on the dance team, cheerleaders and twirlers Not sure who thought that would be a good idea..

Do you go to RamJam?

[ASUPops]

link?

https://www.angelo.edu/life-on-campu...cheer-team.php

So many 300 lbers.

I think ONE of the girls may be 140-145lbs lbs.

https://www.angelo.edu/life-on-campus/lead/angelettes/

The Angelettes have a a couple girls maybe 150-160. But pretty athletic. I find them entertaining and adding to the game experience. I love that these talented girls have an opportunity to participate in the spirit. Some programs have little to nothing when it c9mes to cheer, dance, bands, etc....

Here is a little video of a part of RamJam with the 300 lbers

https://youtu.be/kBLw3LHDmEE?si=rEWvwaOFMPgmnJlq

[TooBuff]

WT game day atmosphere is much better that at Kimbrough and probably one of the best in D2 especially during the game in the stadium. The Buffs definitely are playing better at home than on the road this year. I wish this weeks game was in Canyon.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Game day here is ruined by the 300 pound babes on the dance team, cheerleaders and twirlers Not sure who thought that would be a good idea..

Be careful with those comments.

I recall a WT cheerleader several years ago that someone was shaming on here and her Dad found the board wanting to rumble.

[Herb Street]

WT game day atmosphere is much better that at Kimbrough and probably one of the best in D2 especially during the game in the stadium. The Buffs definitely are playing better at home than on the road this year. I wish this weeks game was in Canyon.

How is the atmosphere different than the Kimbrough days?

[ASUPops]

Be careful with those comments.

I recall a WT cheerleader several years ago that someone was shaming on here and her Dad found the board wanting to rumble.

Hahaha

[BuffaloChip]

How is the atmosphere different than the Kimbrough days?

Great! Except for the (much) lesser anticipation of something special happening at the football games. More kids get involved and show up. I enjoy it.