Next year's attendance...

[Scooter]

With the home schedule for next year, NDSU could easily top 15,000 fans per game at home.

Concordia St. paul * * *14,000 * *(conservative since Monticello drew almost as much)
Northeastern * * * * * * *16,000 * *(Rocky's homecoming, could be higher)
MVSU * * * * * * * * * * * *16,000 * * (Homecoming)
Cal Poly * * * * * * * * * * 14500 * * (trying to stay conservative)
SDSU * * * * * * * * * * * *16,000 * * (about what we had last year)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 76,500 * *(15300 a game)

and even better, by taking U of M average attendence for a IAA game and the average attendence for the other away games, over 165,000 people will attend an NDSU football game next year. *That's pretty good exposure!

[imabison]

With the home schedule for next year, NDSU could easily top 15,000 fans per game at home.

Concordia St. paul 14,000 (conservative since Monticello drew almost as much)
Northeastern 16,000 (Rocky's homecoming, could be higher)
MVSU 16,000 (Homecoming)
Cal Poly 14500 (trying to stay conservative)
SDSU 16,000 (about what we had last year)
76,500 (15300 a game)

and even better, by taking U of M average attendence for a IAA game and the average attendence for the other away games, over 165,000 people will attend an NDSU football game next year. That's pretty good exposure!

I would very much like to think that the Northeastern game would be no less than 19,000.

[roadwarrior]

Count me at every game ;)

[TheBisonator]

Here's my predictions (with specific numbers):

Concordia-St. Paul - 14,017 (Home opener, should be the same as UAM game last year)

Northeastern - 14,765 (Rocky's return will spark up the attendance a little bit, but it'll be a pretty general-interest game overall)

Mississippi Valley State - 17,248 (It's Homecoming, so the fans will come out NO MATTER WHAT. It helps that a fellow scholly-I-AA will be the opponent)

Cal-Poly - 12,254 (This is the lull of the year. Use the hunting excuse. The upside is that nowadays the weeks where we have to use the excuse are weeks where we get 11,000 to games, and not the 6-7,000 that we would get several years ago)

South Dakota State - 19,079 - SELLOUT (This will be the year where fans of both teams really get into the Marker rivalry. It will be a soft sell, meaning that it will sellout by kickoff, but there will be 19,000+ butts in the seats throughout at least halftime, and if it's a close one, at least 15-16,000 will stay till the end.)

14,017
14,765
17,248
12,254
19,079

TOTAL - 77,363

AVERAGE - 15,473

NUMBER 10 IN THE NATION IN I-AA ATTENDANCE

[lucchesicourt]

It's amazing you guys are expecting so few to the Poly game as compared to the others. The Poly game could be for the GWFC championship. Are you guys more into rivalries versus conference championship?

[semobison]

I agree, the Poly game will probably be the toughest home game we have. They are the only GWFC team we have not been able to beat. We owe them! Lets press for a big crowd, we will need it.

[tony]

I'll guess 15,001 (6% increase). I just think that as the program progresses, attendance will increase. NDSU is building a darn good DI-AA program and more people seem to realize it each year. Got to win that first game though.

[Swaghook]

I'm hoping to see an 8% increase for this year. With Rocky's homecoming and the SDSU game it should be a good year. If NDSU can beat Ball St and play U of M close that should help with attendance.

[bisonaudit]

Do you think that having only 5 home games will push the average attendance up much? I speculate that many out of town fans make it a point to attend one, maybe two games a year. Having fewer choices may push up per game attendance somewhat more than otherwise expected but lead to a slow down a year or two down the road when we can get back to scheduling 6 or 7 home games a year.

[tony]

Do you think that having only 5 home games will push the average attendance up much? *I speculate that many out of town fans make it a point to attend one, maybe two games a year. *Having fewer choices may push up per game attendance somewhat more than otherwise expected but lead to a slow down a year or two down the road when we can get back to scheduling 6 or 7 home games a year.

Good point! I hadn't thought about that. OTOH, I think the Gopher game is going to gobble up a lot of the "one-game-a-year" people.

[mikelsch]

The Cal-Poly game attendance (and to a smaller extent the SDSU game) will depend on the Bison record to that point. The core Bison fans will always show up, but the casual fan only shows up for a winner. Fargo is a fickle town.

[BisBison]

The Cal-Poly game attendance (and to a smaller extent the SDSU game) will depend on the Bison record to that point. *The core Bison fans will always show up, but the casual fan only shows up for a winner. *Fargo is a fickle town.

Agree completely, but to expand on fickle towns, I think you could insert just about any town's name there; the vast majority of (fans) are fickle and will only support a winner.

[MplsBison]

South Dakota State - 19,079 - SELLOUT (This will be the year where fans of both teams really get into the Marker rivalry. It will be a soft sell, meaning that it will sellout by kickoff, but there will be 19,000+ butts in the seats throughout at least halftime


I thought there were only 18.7+ thousand seats. How does that work?

[BisBison]

My attendance predictions:

Concordia St Paul--13,559 (Thursday nite game, D-II team)
Northeastern--16,785 (Rocky's return, D-I opener & nite game)
Mississippi Valley St--16,525 (Homecoming, but pheasant opener as well)
Cal Poly--14,582 (Conference rival, but afternoon game & deer opener hurt)
SDSU--17,855 (Marker game helps, but not enough for a sellout this late in the season)

Average attendance--15,861 10th in the nation. If we get through our murderous pre-homecoming road schedule with a win or two look for the homecoming crowd to be bigger than expected.

[MplsBison]

CSP - 15k (first game of the year, students will be out)
NE - 15k (Rocky)
MSVS - Depends on how we do during the season,(5-0 = 17k 3-2 = 15k)
Poly - 13k (hunting hurts and we'll probably have 3 losses, which hurts attendance too)
SDSU - 16k (sellout is wishful thinking, esp. if we have 4 or more losses)

[BisonMav]

16,100 due to a successful 8-3 record.

[tony]

17003 if you count the NDSU fans who go to the Gopher game :)

[Scooter]

16,100 due to a successful 8-3 record.
16,100 average is not out of the question, in fact, it may be what to expect with the games we have at the dome next year.


Concordia St Pual- *15800 for the home opener. *Walker Back, DL JC transfers, .DII conference champs. *WDAY really pushes these three stories all week. *Add golden bear fans (1000) and you get 16800

Northeastern- *16700 NDSU fans fresh off huge victory + 500 friends and family of Rocky, and you get 17200

MVSU- HOMECOMING 17000 fans.... 17000

Cal Poly- WDAY pushes this game for weeks 16000 despite hunters

SDSU- 15000 NDSU fans plus 2500 SDSU = 17500
SO....... * You could very well get 84,500 / 5 = 16,900

[roadwarrior]

I'm not sure Concordia has 1000 fans period, let alone that many would drive to Fargo for a game.

[MplsBison]

I'm not sure Concordia has 1000 fans period, let alone that many would drive to Fargo for a game.

What do they average?

They play at a high school stadium that can hold at least 5000.

I assume anyone that would travel with this team lives in or near the TC, which is only 4 hours away from Fargo.

[broke_back_mnt]

Concordia St. paul * * *12,500 * *(best chance to do better)
Northeastern * * * * * * *14,000 * *
MVSU * * * * * * * * * * * *15,000 * *
Cal Poly * * * * * * * * * * 14500 * * (Record matters for this one)
SDSU * * * * * * * * * * * *16,500 (A good record will help)
total* * * * * * * * * * * * * 72,500 * *(14500 a game)

[sambini]

15755++++++++++++++++

[roadwarrior]

Concordia - SP averaged 1,818 fans in 2005.

[Gamehunter]

16,100 due to a successful 8-3 record.
16,100 average is not out of the question, in fact, it may be what to expect with the games we have at the dome next year.


Concordia St Pual- 15800 for the home opener. Walker Back, DL JC transfers, .DII conference champs. WDAY really pushes these three stories all week. Add golden bear fans (1000) and you get 16800

Northeastern- 16700 NDSU fans fresh off huge victory + 500 friends and family of Rocky, and you get 17200

MVSU- HOMECOMING 17000 fans.... 17000

Cal Poly- WDAY pushes this game for weeks 16000 despite hunters

SDSU- 15000 NDSU fans plus 2500 SDSU = 17500
SO....... You could very well get 84,500 / 5 = 16,900



I think your quite optimistic with those numbers, but I also think we are looking at another 1000+ attendance increase per game compared to last year. 1000 increase per game seems to be the trend the last couple years and with the team looking like it will be well worth comming out for, I doubt it will change. I doubt CSP could possibly bring 1000, and SDSU will certainly bring nowhere remotely close to 2500, but both games should still be well attended.

15,700 will be the season average. :)

[kchats]

I think the Rocky game will be a sellout. There are alot of Bison fans that really like Rocky and they will show up to give him a warm welcome. Too bad for Rocky the Bison football team won't give his team the same welcome. I smell a blowout in that game.

I expect another great game attendence wise with SDSU. The rivalry continues to grow and the news of conference affiliation sparks great attendence at all rivalry games. I think it ticks up over last season and ends in the upper 15,000's for average.

[roadwarrior]

Student attendance is also key to the final average. They have 3300 seats reserved for them I believe. They always seem to fade as the season winds down. Very poor student attendance at the final two games last year.

[kchats]

I only missed a couple games when I was at NDSU. Once was a homecoming game when I passed out before the game and didn't wake up until that evening and one when I had surgery and couldn't attend. How can students not attend football games for their university? It is great entertainment.

[IL_Bison]

Just officially got a job at NDSU! So I am beyond excited about the upcoming Bison football season. At least I'll get to see some better football than what has been played at U of Illinois the past few years. The FM area can certainly do better in terms of attendance.

[SloStang]

Concordia St. paul * * *12,500 * *(best chance to do better)
Northeastern * * * * * * *14,000 * *
MVSU * * * * * * * * * * * *15,000 * *
Cal Poly * * * * * * * * * * 14500 * * (Record matters for this one)
SDSU * * * * * * * * * * * *16,500 * * (A good record will help)
total* * * * * * * * * * * * * 72,500 * *(14500 a game)


I think that the NDSU/Cal Poly game could be for the GWFC Championship. *If it is, I would think it would be a huge draw. I also think that the Bison fans will smell blood in the water and are looking for the Bison to get a little pay back for last years game.

[NanoBison]

Congrats on the job. 8-)

I think it would be beneficial if NDSU could start up a BisonSports channel or NDSU channel that would be available on CableOne as a community channel, but still done professionally with flashy advertisements screaming "FOOTBALL GAME THIS SATURDAY!!! First 5,000 get free t-shirts or somthing like that). The channel could also be done by NDSU students in a Visual Communications or Mass Communications. It could have other shows/presentations like "State of the University Addresses", "NDSU news", "this week at the Tech Park". They could even go so far as to have student hosted shows along the lines of like "LoveLine on MTV", just not about that crap. Anybody think this is cool, stupid?

[MplsBison]

Concordia - SP averaged 1,818 fans in 2005.


I would think 500 CSP fans would not be out of the question for them. Esp. coming off a NSIC title.

[MplsBison]

I think that the NDSU/Cal Poly game could be for the GWFC Championship. If it is, I would think it would be a huge draw. I also think that the Bison fans will smell blood in the water and are looking for the Bison to get a little pay back for last years game.

I'd like to believe you but I know it's too good to be true.

You just don't understand how hunting affects the attendance.


I simply have to point to 2004 when Cal Poly came to NDSU ranked in the top 15 (IIRC). I think there was like 11k fans there?

[Bisonguy]

I think that the NDSU/Cal Poly game could be for the GWFC Championship. *If it is, I would think it would be a huge draw. *I also think that the Bison fans will smell blood in the water and are looking for the Bison to get a little pay back for last years game.

I'd like to believe you but I know it's too good to be true.

You just don't understand how hunting affects the attendance.


I simply have to point to 2004 when Cal Poly came to NDSU ranked in the top 15 (IIRC). I think there was like 11k fans there?


11,834. Yes, hunting has a very big impact on attendance.

[NanoBison]

Is there a reason why the sporting events aren't scheduled around the hunting season here? When it affects attendance by a couple thousand, why can't we move the game to earlier in week before the huntin' season starts?

[Scooter]

Student attendance is also key to the final average. *They have 3300 seats reserved for them I believe. *They always seem to fade as the season winds down. *Very poor student attendance at the final two games last year.

So... *What are some ideas to get the students (and also fans) excited about football again?

1. I think the games we have at the end of the year, Cal POly and SDSU will help. *The first time Cal Poly came to the dome, not much was known about them, *and, SDSU is turning into a fun rivalry. *If we win a few that people are already putting in the loss column all bets will be off. *

2. *WE HAVE GOT TO GET THE FARGO DOME TO RE-EDUCATE THEIR SECURITY STAFF!!!
* * STANDING AND CHEERING FOR THE HOME TEAM SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED

3. *see suggestion 2

4. *see suggestion 2

P.S. *Isn't it fun to speculate about BISON football instead of the other stuff? :)

I know 16900 fans a game for next year is not very realistic, I'd be very satisfied with 15500. *But, it did spark some interresting conversation. *;)

Do you notice that the same people who have been accused of only posting anti-bison, or "move on" types of posts are conspicuously absent from this thread. *:-X

*

[bisonaudit]

Cal Poly is Veterans Day Weekend the first long weekend for students in 11 weeks!

Good luck filling up their section.

[SUCB#27]

Student attendance is also key to the final average. *They have 3300 seats reserved for them I believe. *They always seem to fade as the season winds down. *Very poor student attendance at the final two games last year.

So... *What are some ideas to get the students (and also fans) excited about football again?

1. I think the games we have at the end of the year, Cal POly and SDSU will help. *The first time Cal Poly came to the dome, not much was known about them, *and, SDSU is turning into a fun rivalry. *If we win a few that people are already putting in the loss column all bets will be off. *

2. *WE HAVE GOT TO GET THE FARGO DOME TO RE-EDUCATE THEIR SECURITY STAFF!!!
* * STANDING AND CHEERING FOR THE HOME TEAM SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED

3. *see suggestion 2

4. *see suggestion 2

P.S. *Isn't it fun to speculate about BISON football instead of the other stuff? :)

I know 16900 fans a game for next year is not very realistic, I'd be extatic with 15500. *But, it did spark some interresting conversation. *;)

Do you notice that the same people who have been accused of only posting anti-bison, or "move on" types of posts are conspicuously absent from this thread. *:-X

*


I couldn't agree more, I have had friends kicked out of the games because they were yelling too loudly at "inappropriate times".

[broke_back_mnt]

I kicked myself out once! * ;D

[Scooter]

Typical fargo dome fans * :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X
*:-X >:( >:( :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-?
*:-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X
*:-X :-/ ;D ;D ;D ;D :-/ :-[ :-X :-X
*:-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X >:( >:( ::)
*:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/
* :-X :-X :-X >:( :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X
* :-[ ;D ;D ;D :) :-/ :-/ :-X >:( :-?
* :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-[ :-? :-? :-? :-?
dome security * dome security
* * >:( >:( *>:( >:(

:-[ *<---- JBB throwing himself out again. *

*

[TheBisonator]

Typical fargo dome fans * :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X
*:-X >:( >:( :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-?
*:-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X
*:-X :-/ ;D ;D ;D ;D :-/ :-[ :-X :-X
*:-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X >:( >:( ::)
*:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/
* :-X :-X :-X >:( :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X
* :-[ ;D ;D ;D :) :-/ :-/ :-X >:( :-?
* :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-[ :-? :-? :-? :-?
dome security * dome security
* * >:( >:( *>:( >:(

:-[ *<---- JBB throwing himself out again. *

*

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the post of the year. ;D ;D ;D

[SDbison]

Very good visual representation of typical Fargodome Bison fans Scooter. My estimates:
50% don't clap or cheer at all.
- Most of this 50% only stand up unless asked to, or to go get food.
35% will only clap or cheer when a great play is made.
10% will occasionally clap or cheer
5% get into the game, clap, cheer and make noise nearly all the time.
- Most of this 5% are in the student section.
My word for most so called Bison fans at the Fargodome....PATHETIC
:-? :-[ :-/ :P

[Scooter]

So, after one game in the books, we are about 1600 fans above what people predicted back in May. *Predictions for the CSP game were 14000, 14000, 13559, 15000, and 12500.
There were some overall averages quoted anywhere from 14500-16100. *Looks like we could easily average 16000 with the games we have left.

[broke_back_mnt]

Concordia St. paul * * *12,500 * *(best chance to do better)
Northeastern * * * * * * *14,000 * *
MVSU * * * * * * * * * * * *15,000 * *
Cal Poly * * * * * * * * * * 14500 * * (Record matters for this one)
SDSU * * * * * * * * * * * *16,500 * * (A good record will help)
total* * * * * * * * * * * * * 72,500 * *(14500 a game)




If Im right on the others, just the under estimate on the USP game raises my per game average to 15,100. *Right now, if the BISON do well and we pick up a couple more thousand per game we could be at about 17,000 average! *Gil and Tony might be right!*

16,000 average looks very possible right now.

[Bison13]

The rest of your games wont be right, because the northeatern game is almost sold out already!!!

[tony]

Concordia St. paul * * *12,500 * *(best chance to do better)
Northeastern * * * * * * *14,000 * *
MVSU * * * * * * * * * * * *15,000 * *
Cal Poly * * * * * * * * * * 14500 * * (Record matters for this one)
SDSU * * * * * * * * * * * *16,500 * * (A good record will help)
total* * * * * * * * * * * * * 72,500 * *(14500 a game)




If Im right on the others, just the under estimate on the USP game raises my per game average to 15,100. *Right now, if the BISON do well and we pick up a couple more thousand per game we could be at about 17,000 average! *Gil and Tony might be right!*

16,000 average looks very possible right now.



For the record, my guess was 15,001, not 17,000. I'd be happy with 15,001 - I mean, that's a 6% increase from last year.

[Bisonguy]

If there's more than two losses at the time, the Cal-Poly attendace will be down the drain. ::)

I would be very happy with 13,000 in that scenario.

[SDbison]

Correct me if I am wrong, but there are strong signals that the Northeastern game could be a sellout. That would mean a first two game average of more than 17,000. 8-)

[WYOBISONMAN]

If there's more than two losses at the time, the Cal-Poly attendace will be down the drain. *::)

I would be very happy with 13,000 in that scenario.

My wife and I will be there from Wyoming.........so add a +2!!