Future Football Related Improvements

[SDbison]

Much as this topic has been discussed many times before, I am going to bring it up to see how message board posters would pareto a list of areas to improve. *Also looking for comments regarding how we could make a difference to get the university and community support to make it happen (send in more dollars is obvious). *Does anyone have some good ideas, connections, etc? *
Given NDSU is at full scholarship funding for DI-AA, the team is getting better, coaching staff is second to none, attendance is rising, the football stadium is great, and the coaches offices, locker rooms, training rooms, etc, are outstanding.......here, in order of preference, is what I think still needs improvement related to football:
1. *A top notch facility needs Field Turf (trademark), or whatever, installed (assumes the FARGODOME logo is no more than 5 yards across and located ner the sidelines).
2. *Gold Star Band: More members, better music, more percussion, green and/or yellow drums (not f'ing red).
3. *Better media coverage including more games on TV regionally and free access to radio coverage on the internet. *
4. *Expanded time for tailgating and expanded tailgate events.
5. *Sellouts at the Fargodome where fans involved in cheering at the game take over.
6. *Other?

* *
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[roadwarrior]

It would be real nice if the fans that did come, stayed until the end of the game :( The players on the field dont pack it up and head out when the score gets lopsided, why should the fans? It must really suck for those players to see 14000 of the 15000 out the door before the horn sounds.

[kchats]

A great reason for better opponents. I do stay when I attend games no matter the score however. It has been a long time since I made it to a Bison game in person though.

[bisonhusker]

I wasn't planning on venting after our big win, but I think I will. I have great seats for football games. We tailgate like professionals, and when I get into the dome, it is quiet. BUZZKILL Anyone??? Seriously, Bohl even asked us to "get out of our comfort zone and actually make some noise." That is almost a direct quote from team makers on Thursday. One of my buddies was actually asked to sit down on a huge early 3rd down. We were tied at 7 all at the time. The guy actually says..."Everytime I come, you are in my way, I can never see." My buddy says, he buddy...this isn't church...then after about 5 seconds, he says...Hey, even in church you can stand up every once in a while. It was classic. Although, it made it quite dicey for a moment. The bad thing is this, if you are a loud fan (say a husker fan), you are damn near alone in the Dome if you are screaming on a 3rd down. Ex: When it was 3rd and 2 on our own 2, and our defense was trying to make a stand after the early kickoff fumble, that endzone should have been going nutty. Someone please step up with a plan....I cannot wait 10 years for the blue hairs to cancel their seats. Get out and make some noise for a fun team to watch. Students were awesome, tailgating is only starting to explode and the team is on the verge of blowing up. Hey Colorado...did you play Montana State today? I bet the Gophers saw that score. Go Bison.

[BisonBacker]

When you get good competition in the dome and its not a 60 point blowout folks will stay. I'm not saying its right to leave either but come on how exciting is it to watch an overmatched opponent get the crap beat out of them? The items on your list SDBison I agree with tho and would like to see it.

[Tatanka]

Tatanka's #7 to your list (1-6 are great): Eliminate the dome nazis. <rant>They take themselves waaaaaay to seriously, and they have a negative impact on the experience. It's clear they aren't fans themselves and have no idea what a college football game atmosphere should be like. Absolutely, deal with the imbeciles who can't handle themselves, but let fans be fans. More importantly, KNOW THE DIFFERENCE between the two. The living dead shouldn't rule the dome. Maybe a freaking brochure "how to be a college football fan" should be handed out first to the dome nazis to study, then to anyone complaining because they don't know the difference between the dome and the freaking library. >:( >:( >:(
</rant>

[insane_ponderer]

I have never been to a dome game where I wasn't in the student section so I can't relate. I know you guys talk about it being quiet all the time and the dome staff sucks etc. Is there anything that Taylor or Bohl or Chapman can do about this? I would think that someone could tell the security to loosen up and let the fans cheer, its not like they are some autonomous group that has full authority to do what they like.

[TriCollegeBison]

2. Gold Star Band: More members, better music, more percussion, green and/or yellow drums (not f'ing red).

This is at least the third time I've seen the color of the drums mentioned. There must not be a lot to talk about.

[Hammersmith]

I know it's a long shot, but I would like to see yellow and green seats. They'll need to be replaced sometime during the life of the Dome and the red ones are already pretty nasty.

It's not a big thing, but the cheerleading could be improved. They do a good job, but they could take it up a level.

If the band were to improve, I'd like to see them have more of half-time. As it stands now, I wouldn't bother.

New, or at least reconfigured, sound system. Get an acoustical engineer/architect in and do it right.

GoBison.com's AllAccess is quite good, but it could use some improvements. Mainly, I'd like to see some higher bit-rate options for those with good broadband. Either balance the ThunderRadio audio better or synch up the WDAY broadcast, and it would be a great TV network substitute. I outputed it to my TV & stereo this week, and it wasn't bad. Compared to the FSSN, I'd take the webcast and with the archived games it's a no-brainer.

As was said on another thread, a better total game-day environment would be nice. More things to do before the game and maybe even Friday night.

More crowd noise, of course.

[bisonhusker]

for some reason, I just lost a very long post, so I will make this very short. Quick summary: Our band needs better music. Two years ago in Brookings, their band was awesome. Played great music and was half the size of our band. We have played the same songs, and they are great, for years. Just mix it up. Get wild. My other problem is that we underutilize our "jumbotrons." While they are as good as any bigscreens in the nation, we do not use them to fire up the crowd enough. We need to create the environment and the people will get up and cheer. Every 3rd and 4th down should be wild. Again, this is just per the request of our head coach who is asking our help in making the Fargodome a place to not want to have to play. Half of our section is wild, the other half is on life support and I hate feeling like I am bothering someone when I want to scream at how pathetic the other teams playcalling is or something. I am all for pumping in loud music to get the crowd going.

[SDbison]

2. *Gold Star Band: More members, better music, more percussion, green and/or yellow drums (not f'ing red). *

This is at least the third time I've seen the color of the drums mentioned. *There must not be a lot to talk about.

OK, improving the band was 2nd on my list and the color thing was mentioned 4th in the sentence. Don't know what the deal is with the NDSU band but they look bush league. Many high schools have bigger bands and WTF is the deal with using red drums when your school colors are yellow and green. The least they could have done is bought something neutral like black. Based on the music being played and the ever shrinking band members the Gold Star Band is starting to be an embarassment. The football team is DI level and the band is DII or DIII. Compared to SDSU whose band is at least a 9 out of 10 the Gold Star might get a 3. Yeah I know it comes down to funding, but if it keeps going down hill no band might be a better option.
I really wanted to talk about other stuff, but now you know what I really think! Chapman needs to get on the Music departments A$$ and get them some more $$.

[SDbison]

Tatanka's #7 to your list (1-6 are great): *Eliminate the dome nazis. *<rant>They take themselves waaaaaay to seriously, and they have a negative impact on the experience. *It's clear they aren't fans themselves and have no idea what a college football game atmosphere should be like. *Absolutely, deal with the imbeciles who can't handle themselves, but let fans be fans. *More importantly, KNOW THE DIFFERENCE between the two. *The living dead shouldn't rule the dome. *Maybe a freaking brochure "how to be a college football fan" should be handed out first to the dome nazis to study, then to anyone complaining because they don't know the difference between the dome and the freaking library. >:( >:( >:(
</rant>
Actually, your area for improvement would fit under #6 Tatanka and should probably be ranked higher. *I purposely stayed away from the topic of the living dead and the dome nazis, but what the hell I am on a roll now. *I also agree with bisonhusker's comments as I have been witness to dome APATHY way too often. *During a crucial third down this past week I turned around as I stood in row F of section 21 and looked up while I did the Crazy George thing to get the crowd going. *NOT ONE PERSON STOOD UP IN OUR SECTION FROM ROW G TO THE TOP. *That is 25 rows of pathetic, non-caring, worthless, so called fans. *Bohl can plead all he wants for people to make some noise, but how do you light a fire under a bunch of cold turds?
I agree, some folks need a friggin guide to instruct them on what a fan is supposed to do. *For example, I went to a couple Sioux Falls Storm indoor football league games this year and I can tell you 4500 true fans in the ancient Sioux Falls Arena make a hell of a lot of noise and put 15,000 plus in the fancy Fargodome to shame. *Sad but true.

[broke_back_mnt]

Ive only had to kick myself out of the Fabulous Fargo Dome once for rowdy behavior. I will admit to boarder line behavior on a few other occasions. Finally, I just said to hell with it and rented a suite with a bunch of other people. $50/game and the only people around are your friends. Not bad compared to the stare.

Same rule though, no alcohol. We promise we wont bring any miniatures and no beer for sure. But we will be in the tailgate lot for the Return of Rocky Hagger!!

Go BISON!!

Ps. Please, if your too rowdy kick yourself out. 8-)

[SDbison]

Just read about SDSU losing to Wisconsin Lacrosse. Now I kind of feel bad (not really) about getting all over our limp fans. Geez. how would you like to be an SDSU fan at this moment?

[Bisonguy]

SDBison- Do you remember Montana State's band? That must have been a 1 ;D


Definitely need much better lighting in the Fargodome, so some of Bisonguy's photos aren't so dark, and he doesn't have to shoot with his lens wide open.

The blue seats/huge Fargodome turf logo were concessions, I believe, to make the people of Fargo not believe that the Fargdome was a publicly funded NDSU building. Sad, but true, IMO.

Better PA system and also an announcement with Bohl on the video boards just before the team takes the field (when the living dead are just getting into their seats) telling everyone that fans make a difference, and if he can't hear you on 3rd downs, you're not doing your job.


Heck, I wouldn't mind if the BSMB had white, or even silver drums. Just not red. >:(

[SDbison]

SDBison- Do you remember Montana State's band? That must have been a 1 *;D


Definitely need much better lighting in the Fargodome, so some of Bisonguy's photos aren't so dark, and he doesn't have to shoot with his lens wide open.

The blue seats/huge Fargodome turf logo were concessions, I believe, to make the people of Fargo not believe that the Fargdome was a publicly funded NDSU building. Sad, but true, IMO.

Better PA system and also an announcement with Bohl on the video boards just before the team takes the field (when the living dead are just getting into their seats) telling everyone that fans make a difference, and if he can't hear you on 3rd downs, you're not doing your job.


Heck, I wouldn't mind if the BSMB had white, or even silver drums. Just not red. *>:(






Not sure I remember a lot about the Montana State game Bisonguy......I was so pissed they took my cowbell away............. >:(
As for the drums I have a low budget solution.......wrap colored construction paper around them.........we made drums that way back in 1st grade using Folgers cans. * :D

[Bisonguy]

Jaeger-bombers will do that to your memory. ;)



Montana State's band had, at best, 40 members. I remember their fans were excited on their board that a "real" marching band was coming to the stadium.

[SDbison]

Jaeger-bombers will do that to your memory. *;)



Montana State's band had, at best, 40 members. I remember their fans were excited on their board that a "real" marching band was coming to the stadium.
Thanks for reminding me :P

[Bisonguy]

About the band or the Jaeger-bombers?? :-? :P

[SDbison]

Both...........
Maybe the Gold Star and me are headed downhill................. :-?