Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

[JayJ79]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

Where do we rank in terms of playoff attendance?

I assume NDSU, Mont. and probably Appy were ahead of us (as they are in the reg. season), but are we really low compared to the other second & first round sites?

Here are the official attendance figures from all FCS playoff games thus far this year:

23049 quarterfinal at Montana
22005 2nd round at Montana
19818 1st round at Old Dominion
18111 quarterfinal at NDSU
17432 2nd round at NDSU
15291 2nd round at App State
13226 2nd round at Georgia Southern
12886 quarterfinal at Georgia Southern
11367 2nd round at Montana State
11196 2nd round at Towson
9077 quarterfinal at Sam Houston State
8286 1st round at Stony Brook
8161 2nd round at Sam Houston State
6915 2nd round at UNI
6115 1st round at Tennessee Tech
2388 1st round at Eastern Kentucky

So yes, attendance was pathetic in comparison to just about everyone else

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

Here are the official attendance figures from all FCS playoff games thus far this year:

So yes, attendance was pathetic in comparison to just about everyone else

This needs to be posted in every newspaper, including the Northern Iowan. Pathetic

[JayJ79]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

This needs to be posted in every newspaper, including the Northern Iowan. Pathetic

wouldn't do much good. The Courier had feature stories on UNI football practically every day for the past month or so. Didn't really help attendance.

[mikewphoto]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

I'm not sure what built the program here to the crazy place it's at, I used to go down to the old field and be one of a couple hundred people watching the Griz play on Saturdays. Now it's a huge deal. Private funding plays an enourmous part in what makes us so successfull.

[lakesbison]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

Again, read Dannen's comments, he more or less admits that.

What??? No AD should ever say that about a conf. Patty V doesnt help cuz she seems she cuts,our own throats alot by not pushing for more playoff teams (see OVC team over ISU R)


trust me, AFTER NDSU wins a title, ill love you guys forever and the mvfc!!

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

Hartzell was damn good at giving away tickets and losing money.

Dannen has made every program accountable financially, which is something Hartzell never did, it's also nice to have an AD that is actually around in the winter. It was time for Hartzell to go.

This. Hartzell gave tickets away practically for free. And look where that got us...

[FargoPanther]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

Hartzell was damn good at giving away tickets and losing money.

Dannen has made every program accountable financially, which is something Hartzell never did, it's also nice to have an AD that is actually around in the winter. It was time for Hartzell to go.

If UNI is to go deep in the FCS Playoffs and make a run for a national championship, we need to host as many home games as possible which means MORE support from the community! I'm not condoning Hartzell's management style in keeping the books or in keeping regular business hours, but he must have understood this and got people in the Dome. I think the FCS Selection Committee wants a full stadium especially for those national televised games.

[BCPanther]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

If UNI is to go deep in the FCS Playoffs and make a run for a national championship, we need to host as many home games as possible which means MORE support from the community! I'm not condoning Hartzell's management style in keeping the books or in keeping regular business hours, but he must have understood this and got people in the Dome. I think the FCS Selection Committee wants a full stadium especially for those national televised games.

We can't lose money though. Dannen has greatly reduced state aids received and greatly increased revenue. Giving away tickets to fill the building both reduces revenue and cheapens our product.

Example that sums up the Hartzell era. The basketball game against Missouri State in the dome in our last year had just shy of 11,000 in attendance and less than 4,000 full price tickets sold. We are making a ton more money with smaller crowds and capacity in the McLeod Center, because everybody is paying to get in.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

One of our biggest initiatives RIGHT NOW for football should be working on building support and selling season football tix for next season. With the home schedule being finalized (I'm pretty sure it is) we need to not wait until May or June to start marketing. The best way to ensure that we don't end up with only 10,000 in the Dome and to guarantee financial success of football is to sell 10,000+ season tix every year...with the goal of selling 13,000 - 14,000 eventually. I know that may be a pipe dream to many, but that has to be the ultimate goal for the long term viability of the program.

[Panther'73]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

Next fall's FB schedule was printed in the wcf courier Sunday morning.

[FargoPanther]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

After decades being a UNI Panther football season ticket holder, I'm now a Bison season ticket holder. The difference is the demographics. You will have retired farmers coming from places like Kindred (think Dike) coming to the games doubling their John Deere shirts as Bison Green. This demographic is missing in the UNI Dome. I know the Bison don't have the Hawkeyes or the Cyclones, but North Dakota is 1/3 the population of Iowa, there is UND Sioux up the road about an hour away (with a dome and now Div I - FCS) and then when you consider that 53% of NDSU's enrollment are from Minnesota, you have a Gopher factor too. I don't know what the answer is, but sure seems that Panther football especially FCS Playoffs are not what they use to be.

[Trapped in California]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

The short list of differences between NDSU & UNI's environment

1. Fargo is the place to be in ND, unless you are heading to Williston to work the gas fields. Des Moines is the place to be in Iowa.

2. NDSU is the show in ND, with the Sioux being a distant second (unless you are a hockey honk). UNI is the third wheel at best - fourth place after Nebraska in western Iowa

3. UNI has been a general university for about 35 years. NDSU has been a research institution since its founding. It offers 46 Doctoral Programs & 66 Master programs. UNI offers 2 Doctoral programs & 10 Masters programs. Those types of degrees generally produce more high earners than a teaching college does = more donations over time, etc. The entire thing becomes self perpetuating.

[06panther10]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

trapped, you listed only the "degrees" for UNI, while you listed the "programs" for NDSU. There are several different programs within each masters degree at UNI.

[JayJ79]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

hockey honk?
haha, never heard that one before.

but hockey is an awesome sport

[Trapped in California]

Re: Part of Our Problem...the MVFC is Weak

trapped, you listed only the "degrees" for UNI, while you listed the "programs" for NDSU. There are several different programs within each masters degree at UNI.

Sorry - I was trying to find like for like, but didn't want to spend several hours doing the work.

I think the point holds true that NDSU is built more like a research institution, where as UNI is a teaching institution. They draw different types of students with different career paths. Especially since UNI has been a general purpose university for about 35 years vs 100+ for NDSU.

While teachers do a lot of great things in society, one thing they are not really know for is generating great wealth that later gets donated to their alma mater.