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Post by BSUMike on Aug 17, 2017 5:52:22 GMT -6
Weekday games have been great for the MAC. Maybe not great for the attendance numbers, but great exposure for Ball State and the MAC. I have heard national sports radio shows talk about how much they enjoy watching mid-week MACtion. No way they ever mention Ball State otherwise. I do see the downside, and understand how it makes it more difficult for many to attend games. I think ideally we would have one or two weekday games.
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Post by BSUMike on Aug 17, 2017 5:55:11 GMT -6
Add David75BSU, and others on this board to the list of folks more invested in Ball State than myself. I mean no disrespect.
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Post by david75bsu on Aug 17, 2017 6:04:08 GMT -6
Add David75BSU, and others on this board to the list of folks more invested in Ball State than myself. I mean no disrespect. Thanks
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Post by 00hmh on Aug 17, 2017 6:52:42 GMT -6
This is really not about Ball State Football. This is not about BSU fans who love or don't love football.
This is college sports and the expense of big time football.
We are fighting to preserve football, but it's hard to imagine this story having a good ending for the very large number of schools like BSU, ISU and other mid and low major schools.
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Post by cardfan on Aug 17, 2017 7:30:19 GMT -6
This is really not about Ball State Football. This is not about BSU fans who love or don't love football. This is college sports and the expense of big time football. We are fighting to preserve football, but it's hard to imagine this story having a good ending for the very large number of schools like BSU, ISU and other mid and low major schools. Exactly. And loving bsu football and being excited about the coming seasons with the very good young talent we have AND also wondering how this will play out long term due to budgetary and resource restraints do not have to be mutually exclusive. Or are we only allowed to have pep rallies on here?
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Post by TakeMeBackto2008 on Aug 17, 2017 7:47:31 GMT -6
A lot of people know Ball State plays football.
A lot of people just don't care.
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Post by cardfan on Aug 17, 2017 8:09:20 GMT -6
I'm hoping we get good enough to entice people to start caring again. I've been going to games since I was a kid in the Dave McLain era. Attendance was pretty good during that time and early in the Wallace era, but since then it's been really hit and miss. (As has the product on the field). Save 2008 attendance just hasn't been good enough, even in Championship and/or bowl years. People have generally lost interest and it's been difficult to get it back. Winning alone doesn't do it as evidenced by mediocre crowds for the Lembo bowl teams. You also have to have perfect weather on the perfect day with the perfect team playing the perfect opponent while not having other, better options on tv that day. Calhoun and I were there on election night-- along with about a couple hundred other people. That was it. A d1 game with an almost empty stadium. Embarrassing. So yes, sustainability is a question.
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Post by BSUMike on Aug 17, 2017 8:15:36 GMT -6
This is really not about Ball State Football. This is not about BSU fans who love or don't love football. This is college sports and the expense of big time football. We are fighting to preserve football, but it's hard to imagine this story having a good ending for the very large number of schools like BSU, ISU and other mid and low major schools. Exactly. And loving bsu football and being excited about the coming seasons with the very good young talent we have AND also wondering how this will play out long term due to budgetary and resource restraints do not have to be mutually exclusive. Or are we only allowed to have pep rallies on here? Nope, only doom and gloom.
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Post by david75bsu on Aug 17, 2017 8:51:52 GMT -6
Exactly. And loving bsu football and being excited about the coming seasons with the very good young talent we have AND also wondering how this will play out long term due to budgetary and resource restraints do not have to be mutually exclusive. Or are we only allowed to have pep rallies on here? Nope, only doom and gloom. No doom and gloom here! I see a good year for Ball Stae football. Neal has a good year, running backs fly high, young receivers make fantastic progress, defense gets a little stronger. High scoring, fun games coming our way. What the future brings, the future brings. But I see good things ahead regardless.
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Post by 00hmh on Aug 17, 2017 10:44:59 GMT -6
Winning alone doesn't do it as evidenced by mediocre crowds for the Lembo bowl teams. You also have to have perfect weather on the perfect day with the perfect team playing the perfect opponent while not having other, better options on tv that day. Calhoun and I were there on election night-- along with about a couple hundred other people. That was it. A d1 game with an almost empty stadium. Embarrassing. So yes, sustainability is a question. My tickets went unused. I was preparing for undergoing surgery the next day, but not sure I'd have been there in any case. In hindsight, being under anesthesia in the aftermath of the game and election was not a bad idea.
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Post by frozenbaugh on Aug 17, 2017 11:52:40 GMT -6
I apologize for nothing I say on here. I LOVE BSU basketball and football and get pissed off for a few days when they lose (more so MAC games). However, you'll have to forgive me if I sound like Droopy the Dog regarding football.
In the last 25 years, the football team has been over .500 just 9 times. The team was bad in Lembo's last year and Neu's first year and as much as I love them, probably won't be very good this year. Tons of talent but young. Up until 2008, the football team was 0-41 against teams from the P5. I remember watching them lose in person to Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, North Dakota State, New Hampshire and Indiana State, all FCS programs.
It's not hard to figure out why attendance is not good. Attendance won't improve until you get a consistent winner on the field. It's been a while since the program has been able to do that. Even in the good years, attendance was in the bottom of the conference. What will it take? Multiple 10-11 win seasons? That should be easy.
I'll continue to go to games and drink too much beer and cheer my ass off but let's not pretend what we are right now. We want to be Toledo or Northern Illinois or Ohio but right now, but the program isn't in the same stratosphere as those teams right now and way behind at this point.
I have faith in Mike Neu and do not believe they could have hired a better person for Ball State at the time.
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Post by frozenbaugh on Aug 17, 2017 11:53:29 GMT -6
Also, I can't freaking wait until the first home game.
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Post by cardfan on Aug 17, 2017 12:03:26 GMT -6
Neu and staff are bringing in some serious talent. It's only a matter of time....
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Post by DickHunsaker on Aug 17, 2017 12:20:04 GMT -6
I have a lot of feeling that most of the staff will be able to move onto greener pastures soon.
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Post by rmcalhoun on Aug 17, 2017 13:03:07 GMT -6
I am as pumped for any season as I have been in quite awhile. I do not think we are going to be that good but we are going to see glimpses of the future. Like I have said before if Riley really steps it up and a few boynces go our way. We could be better record wise. I know the staff thinks we have a legit shot at beating Il. Which might allow us to start 3-0 and fet some momentum. WKU,Tol,and western are the killers on the schedule.
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