A lot has been said about the 1972 photo of fans tearing down the goal posts after KSU locked up the MAC title against Toledo.
Here's that photo, side by side with a photo from yesterday's game against Western Michigan...it's almost the same camera angle. To be fair, my photo was a few minutes before kickoff. But, the crowd didn't fill in much.
Posted on 11/1 11:39 AM | IP: Logged
After seeing yesterday's very disappointing crowd at Dix, I can't help wonder if we will ever see another full stadium again. In the photo above you can see what Dix Stadium looked like in 1972 when the Flashes won the MAC. On another thread, I have shown a photo of a full Dix Stadium during the early 70s. The photo was taken at a time when the Flashes were highly competitive going 6-5-1 in 1972, 9-2 in 1973, and 7-4 in 1974. Prior to those years, Kent was not very competitive going 5-5 in 1969, 3-7 in 1970, 3-8 in 1971 and playing in front of sparse crowds. Below is a photo of Dix Stadium in 1970 showing a typical crowd at a Kent State game. On another thread, the question was posed about the effect that yesterday's low attendance will have on recruiting. I tend to agree with Steve that winning the game probably will have more effect on recruiting than the low attendance. I realize that the time of the late sixties and early seventies represents a different era when facilites and atmosphere may not have played a major role in recruiting, but certainly low attendance did not have much of an effect on Don James' recruiting classes. As Steve has also pointed out, low attendance has not affected the quality of Doug Martin's recent recruiting classes. But going back to my initial statement, does anyone truly believe that we will ever see a packed Dix Stadium again? Despite Kent's 4-1 MAC record, will the Flashes recent success be enough to bring fans to Dix? If you compare the appearance and scenery of Dix Stadium today with what you see in the 70s, I believe you will agree that the stadium, with its adjacent field house, looks considerably better than it did during the 70s and 80s. But other than winning, what else does KSU need to do to create a better atmosphere so that fans will want to attend more games?
I just think it takes time to build a base. Take a step back, of course the diehards are happy that we are on a 3 game winning streak.
But try to think from an outsiders perspective. People are not going to be saying, "Woohoo, KSU is on a 3 game winning streak, let's go jump on the band wagon."
It has taken UC a while to build a base there. I believe an average attendance for a UC game in the early 2000s were in the 18,000-20,000 range. It is only now that Nippert Stadium is being sold out.
I think the important thing is to end the season on a high note. Maybe it will spark interest for next season. Maybe KSU can bring in 20,000 for a game against Murray St. next year.
But that's too far into the future for me. I am enjoying the recent success that the team is having. I would much rather attend games with passionate fans over passive fans.
Posted on 11/1 12:32 PM | IP: Logged
Sad, indeed.
Posted on 11/1 12:41 PM | IP: Logged
Let me provide a few possible reasons for the significant drop in attendance: No team identity, a lousy economy, bad press by the local media coupled with Laing Kennedy's office not doing enough to combat the bad press.
With Eugene Jarvis lost for the year, the team is perceived as having no identity despite the recent success of Spencer Keith and Jacquise Terry. Without Jarvis, there has not really been a player that has “stuck out” and made headlines. The team has some outstanding freshmen but apparently they haven't been consistently good enough to give the team an identity.
If the recent news of the Twin Lakes Country Club is any indication of how bad the economy is in the Kent area, then it is certainly understandable why some of the local businesses and Kent residents are not buying tickets. The private golf and dining club has been an institution in the Kent-Ravenna area since 1923 but reported yesterday that it is going into Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
I will contend that the negative press from the local media in recent years has helped turn off fans from the football program completely. There is no denying that the students, alums, and local businesses have been disappointed with the football team over the years and have decided to spend their time doing other things. The team has been going out in the community trying to build support for the program but it just needs more time.
I have already discussed the bad press from one local sports reporter and am curious why the Athletic Department even allows him to attend games. I guess since he is part of the press, they have to allow him access but I am curious if anyone from the Athletic Department has even put a call into him complaining about his unfair reporting.
I don't expect everyone to agree with me on this but only time will tell if winning alone will bring people to Dix Stadium.
Posted on 11/1 7:36 PM | IP: Logged
Watched the game on kzone and could not believe how empty the stands were (especially the student section) considering this team is possibly contending for a bowl appearance and MAC east title. Perhaps they need to put together a complete season before people buy in?
Posted on 11/2 1:37 PM | IP: Logged
The economy has nothing to do with it. Tickets are dirt cheap for Kent games so that is no excuse. It simply boils down to Kent not being very competitive over the years and the weather. If they were winning consistently people would come. Meaning year after year, and we all know how the weather in north east Ohio can be. If Kent can make it to a bowl game this year and market it right, and market the players such as Goode and Spencer it would bring larger crowds. There not going to start selling out the stadium but if they could get some big crowds and win some games in front of them and get the players known more around campus and the community that would be a great start. No one expected Keith and Goode to have seasons like that but now they can start to build around them and start looking for a plan for next year.
Posted on 11/2 2:12 PM | IP: Logged
I agree about it not being the economy. The crowd would have been the same with free admission. This is a long term problem in the making. Also, negative reporting is not negative reporting when it is the truth. What in 10 years would even allow positive reporting, if reporting the truth matters. Our hope must be with this new, invigorating attitude on the team and the new found talent. I do not believe that it can be turned around, even with several good years. Unfortunately, it will take more. Somehow, we have to get the University leadership, (trustees and president)to see the value of a good FB team and community, alumni, team promotion. It must come from the top and at this point, it is not there. I would love to be more optimistic.
Posted on 11/2 3:03 PM | IP: Logged
It's not the economy, although it doesn't help.
It's the history of losing. Win and they'll come, but it will take time, just like building the program has.
There are no quick fixes, especially for a mid-major program that has suffered for so long.
Posted on 11/2 9:27 PM | IP: Logged
Didn't they hire a marketing company to come up with new ideas? I hope they were pro bono, or else it was wasted money. They have tried some nice ideas in the past as far as tuition and books go. One thing I would've tried was winning the greeks over and having some sort of contest amongst them that required their attendance every week. They travel in numbers in would show alot of spirit, even if it was for their fraternity/sorority.
Posted on 11/3 8:27 AM | IP: Logged
That would help if the Greeks showed some support. When I did my internship is when they brought in the marketing firm. I sat in on some meetings and they were a joke. There is no reason to pay anyone out of house. Kent has a great art school, and business school they should be able to put together a marketing campaign. We also need some national TV games, even if it does mean Thursday or Wednesday night so be it.
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