Interesting post from Gary about attendance...

[Eight]

29 other posters (and growing) agree with me. Seems that you are in the minority, sir.

The time to address the attendance issue isn't a few days before the game; rather, it is in the months leading up to it. That was my point, and it is either ignored by, or completely lost on, Gary Patterson. He cares more about secrecy and locking down the program than he does about building fan engagement and excitement.

He isn't infallible, and for whatever reason, he thinks the edge gained by locking down the program is more advantageous than the edge gained by having more fans in the stands. They absolutely have an inverse relationship, and any P5 coach worth his salt knows it. If you lock down the program and limit access, you lose fans. Period. You lose on the field, then you lose even more fans. Period.

He is engaged with big donors, yes. But the empty seats aren't empty because of missing loyal fans. No, they are empty because he (and the Athletics Department in general) have utterly failed to sell the programs to the DFW area. You need casual fans to fill the stands, and between the exorbitant ticket prices, terrible game-day atmosphere, and lack of marketing in the area, TCU has failed to motivate casual fans.

If the buck doesn't stop with him, then where does it stop?

I don't know. Maybe it stops with the Band Leader who chooses to have more Xylophones than Tubas. I mean, what football fan doesn't love a good Xylophone solo on Saturday at 12:30 pm, in 95 degree weather! Nothing gets my heart pumping more, I can tell you that!

for some reason in a forum on a message board to discuss something as simple as the lack of marketing efforts by someone(s) in the tcu athletic department is viewed as wanting to tear down the program, anti-gary, and heaven forbid a recruit read this instead of, i don't know, actually coming to a game, looking around and noticing empty seats.

what we know is that at one time, tcu actively marketed the program to the community, had the whole home town thing going, had the frog alley etc....and then things changed.

sure cdc is gone, drew went to austin with cdc, the frogs aren't winning double digit number of games on a regular basis, but more importantly what was the marketing campaign this year to get people back to the stadium? what are they doing before the games to celebrate the return of frog football?

the math is pretty simple, to fill that stadium the frogs are going to have to sell not to frog alums, but the community as well and it sure seems as if that idea isn't consistent with the athletic department

 

[Wexahu]

Almost every school is having attendance issues save a few this year. Did you ever think you would see empty seats at Ohio State? There were thousands and thousands. Tennesssee, UCLA, USC, FSU, etc. etc. are all having similar problems. With the high price of tickets, and the crappy TV times you better be real good are face this same problem, and even that is no guarantee today.

The biggest problem IMO is the TV experience, both in quality and quantity of games on TV, has gotten so good. And that isn't going away, so they are going to have to adjust somehow.

I kind of look forward to TCU away games so I can stay at home and just grab the remote and take in the whole day of college football from the comfort of my couch and patio. Especially after a couple home games in a row.

 

[Wexahu]

for some reason in a forum on a message board to discuss something as simple as the lack of marketing efforts by someone(s) in the tcu athletic department is viewed as wanting to tear down the program, anti-gary, and heaven forbid a recruit read this instead of, i don't know, actually coming to a game, looking around and noticing empty seats.

what we know is that at one time, tcu actively marketed the program to the community, had the whole home town thing going, had the frog alley etc....and then things changed.

sure cdc is gone, drew went to austin with cdc, the frogs aren't winning double digit number of games on a regular basis, but more importantly what was the marketing campaign this year to get people back to the stadium? what are they doing before the games to celebrate the return of frog football?

the math is pretty simple, to fill that stadium the frogs are going to have to sell not to frog alums, but the community as well and it sure seems as if that idea isn't consistent with the athletic department

I don't know, but no amount of marketing is going to get people to fill the stands for a 2:30 kickoff in 95 degree weather (or a Duquense game). Unless we are playing a very high profile team, and I'm not sure that would be enough.

 

[Eight]

The biggest problem IMO is the TV experience, both in quality and quantity of games on TV, has gotten so good. And that isn't going away, so they are going to have to adjust somehow.

I kind of look forward to TCU away games so I can stay and home and just grab the remote and take in the whole day of college football from the comfort of my couch and patio. Especially after a couple home games in a row.

no doubt, and it goes back to what can tcu control and what must they address to motivate people off the couch and to the game

as much as we would like it there are certain variables they just can't control be it the record of the team (talking the people marketing the team and selling tickets), when games get played, or the length of the game due to commercials etc...

you can control the costs of tickets, the experience around the stadium, the value to especially young families coming to the game, the atmosphere in the stadium

will that be enough for some? no, heck there are some who just aren't coming back just like there are some who will always buy. the target group is those who might and for some reason we just haven't grasped that idea which is interesting for a school that has a very entrepreneurial mindset in their business school

scheiss the consultants from disney for a number of reasons and come up with a plan to sell the frogs and the experience of coming back to the stadium.

 

[Eight]

I don't know, but no amount of marketing is going to get people to fill the stands for a 2:30 kickoff in 95 degree weather (or a Duquense game). Unless we are playing a very high profile team, and I'm not sure that would be enough.

first, you have to sell those tickets and the frogs weren't even close to a sellout. you don't have to be very good researching on the internet to figure out that there are number of seats that didn't get bought in season tickets this year.

start there.

second, can't control the time and the weather so you have to do something about the experience and sell being there in person versus being at home.

 

[tcudoc]

Some of you are serious scheissing idiots.

Am I one of them?
Based on what I hear from my wife, I strongly suspect that I may be.

 

[Eight]

Am I one of them?
Based on what I hear from my wife, I strongly suspect that I may be.

heck, i already know moose thinks i am idiot but that doesn't bother me because being an arsehole as i am i know one and that is moose

you doc, on the other hand are the rare decent person on this board, untainted by the presence of steel, and i found out on another thread you actually trust some here which is pretty distressing to hear about a man of science

 

[tcudoc]

heck, i already know moose thinks i am idiot but that doesn't bother me because being an arsehole as i am i know one and that is moose

you doc, on the other hand are the rare decent person on this board, untainted by the presence of steel, and i found out on another thread you actually trust some here which is pretty distressing to her about a man of science

Truth is, I get almost all of my current events news on this forum. I am always the first to know when someone important passes away and many other useless factoids. I actually trust the opinions of many on this forum. Others, not so much. Extremes on either side tend to make me wary.

 

[frogfanRyoga]

Yes, a bunch of SMU students bought tickets in Section 121 two years ago.

Some Smew students bought tickets to that section, then took a screenhoot their tickets and sent it to their friends who had cheap seats. Despite me and the other Frog fans who sit in that section complaining to stadium staff, nothing was done.

 

[frogfanRyoga]

As for section 121 and 120 next it, while I love sitting lower level, imo they should be turned into a young alumni seating.

 

[HFrog1999]

I don't know, but no amount of marketing is going to get people to fill the stands for a 2:30 kickoff in 95 degree weather (or a Duquense game). Unless we are playing a very high profile team, and I'm not sure that would be enough.

 

[Moose Stuff]

Am I one of them?
Based on what I hear from my wife, I strongly suspect that I may be.

You and me both doc, you and me both.

 

[westoverhillbilly]

Regarding attendance, TCU has only overcome its smallness a few times in its history when there were great games and great teams. Namely A&M coming here in 1957 and 1995, Texas in 1994, Utah in 2009 and a couple of handfuls of other significant games. During the first few decades of me being a fan, this used to bother me, but I quit expecting people to endure stroke threatening heat to watch us play OOC games against FCS and lackluster FBS (both P5 and G5) programs. I often wish TCU would have domed the Carter in 2012.

 

[Bob Sugar]

I still have two tickets for Saturday's game with Touchdown Club access. PM me if interested.

 

[CardFrog]

I still have two tickets for Saturday's game with Touchdown Club access. PM me if interested.

so meanwhile back to our attendance problem.....

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

Regarding attendance, TCU has only overcome its smallness a few times in its history when there were great games and great teams. Namely A&M coming here in 1957 and 1995, Texas in 1994, Utah in 2009 and a couple of handfuls of other significant games. During the first few decades of me being a fan, this used to bother me, but I quit expecting people to endure stroke threatening heat to watch us play OOC games against FCS and lackluster FBS (both P5 and G5) programs. I often wish TCU would have domed the Carter in 2012.

Hard Rock (Joe Robbie) added nice cover.

 

[Bob Sugar]

so meanwhile back to our attendance problem.....

I could always just let them go to waste...or try to solve the problem since I will be out of town...

 

[AroundWorldFrog]

If I was visiting this site from another planet I'd assume from the postings here that we had the worst coach in all of sports, not just college football

In terms of PR, you are correct.

 

[Pharm Frog]

for some reason in a forum on a message board to discuss something as simple as the lack of marketing efforts by someone(s) in the tcu athletic department is viewed as wanting to tear down the program, anti-gary, and heaven forbid a recruit read this instead of, i don't know, actually coming to a game, looking around and noticing empty seats.

what we know is that at one time, tcu actively marketed the program to the community, had the whole home town thing going, had the frog alley etc....and then things changed.

sure cdc is gone, drew went to austin with cdc, the frogs aren't winning double digit number of games on a regular basis, but more importantly what was the marketing campaign this year to get people back to the stadium? what are they doing before the games to celebrate the return of frog football?

the math is pretty simple, to fill that stadium the frogs are going to have to sell not to frog alums, but the community as well and it sure seems as if that idea isn't consistent with the athletic department

I'm really quite surprised that the whole DEFY and DENY campaign didn't pack 'em in at ACS. Those words just explode with positivity, hope, aspiration, and community.

 

[Eight]

I'm really quite surprised that the whole DEFY and DENY campaign didn't pack 'em in at ACS. Those words just explode with positivity, hope, aspiration, and community.

sure it will as soon people figure out exactly what the defy and deny campaign is exactly about