Thoughts on thursday night game

[DaddyMac]

Out of my curiosity someone should do a poll on the Thursday game issue. Have more options other than "Yes, I like Thursday games" and "No, I hate Thursday games".

I love the odd message board people that will respond "Great, another thread like this again" yet they are the ones that actually open the link.

There was one last year and I think the "Fors" came out pretty well ahead. Maybe 60/40.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

No - and I never said you told anyone as such.
Nor did I say you did. We could play that game all day long.

Nor were any of my comments you quoted above directed at you at any point. So how you came to the idea that I suggested you said anything,
Again, I did not say you had then suggested I said anything. However: "I'm sorry, did I tell someone else what they should do? You want to get cheaper tix -have at it. Don't presume to tell me what I should be buying." was in a post directed at me. I realize you are speaking in generalities, as was I.

or why you felt that quoting me was in the least bit relevant is anyone's guess.

But whatever ... keep picking away.
It is relevant because it suggests to having a narrow perception, and thus was not meant to be ad hominem or needling. I am simply choosing your posts on CF as a personification of the challenge that the ISU AD has in front of them. It could be Clonefan#162, and I would do the same. Nothing personal.

 

[TruClone]

Hey, you are finally getting it...maybe.
Did the AD revenue go down last year? Did we make more or less money on the Iowa game then we did in previous years? And I do agree that the ISU AD has a problem. To compete like most want, ISU needs more money. That requires having enough fans that value ISU athletics enough to keep ISU in the arms race of college athletics. If not, at least CF should be void of fans complaining about the lack of success.
I'm sorry, did I tell someone else what they should do? No more than you.
Let's see if you have "got it" yet.

No - and I never said you told anyone as such. Nor were any of my comments you quoted above directed at you at any point. So how you came to the idea that I suggested you said anything, or why you felt that quoting me was in the least bit relevant is anyone's guess.

But whatever ... keep picking away.

I will give you the iowa game issue however. I didn't mean to suggest that I was opposed to the policy, rather that I find it disheartening that we have to solicit this game as a near freebie with an iowa ticket. I'm not overly opposed to the ticket policies regarding the iowa game, at least as it was 2 years ago.

Obama's calling, said something about having a beer together in the yard?

 

[Jonecy]

I'm one who loves the Thursday night games. As was mentioned by other posters, you have plenty of time to plan ahead and it's a great excuse to take Friday off! I also enjoy having the student section full at the games.

With that said, I do understand it's an unpleasant commute home for people that have kids or have to work on Friday and live outstide of Ames....but then again, it's just one game a year - not the entire season......so get over it. :wink:

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Obama's calling, said something about having a beer together in the yard?

It better be on Saturday and payed by taxes- I have school on Friday and tuition to pay.

 

[CyAg]

It is not a question of getting over it. Prices are up, we only have 6 home games and bottom line take one away we are at 5.

I will be there, but it makes it harder to justify, and I do pay my share.

 

[Stormin]

A lot of you are talking about attendance. Well back a few years ago now, we had our last opener on a Saturday nite. We drew 44,000 plus to the game. The next year we sold MORE season tickets and had a Thursday nite home opener. We drew 42,000 plus to the game.

Looks to me like the Thursday nite game draws a lesser crowd. Let's try a Saturday nite game next year and see what kind of crowd we get. This will change things up a bit. Let those who hate the Thursday nite thing have a Saturday nite game and let those who hate the Saturday Labor Day games suck it up and attend for the team, like those of us who hate the Thursday nite games do now.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

A lot of you are talking about attendance. Well back a few years ago now, we had our last opener on a Saturday nite. We drew 44,000 plus to the game. The next year we sold MORE season tickets and had a Thursday nite home opener. We drew 42,000 plus to the game.

Looks to me like the Thursday nite game draws a lesser crowd. Let's try a Saturday nite game next year and see what kind of crowd we get. This will change things up a bit. Let those who hate the Thursday nite thing have a Saturday nite game and let those who hate the Saturday Labor Day games suck it up and attend for the team, like those of us who hate the Thursday nite games do now.

What teams did we play. I noticed some of the Sat openers were against UNI and KU, which should draw more than Kent St or SDSU.

 

[alarson]

What teams did we play. I noticed some of the Sat openers were against UNI and KU, which should draw more than Kent St or SDSU.

Illinois State in 05
Toledo in 06

 

[DaddyMac]

What teams did we play. I noticed some of the Sat openers were against UNI and KU, which should draw more than Kent St or SDSU.

I believe the last seven openers (3 and 4) have been

08 SDSU
07 Kent St
06 Toledo

05 Ill St
04 UNI
03 UNI
02 Kansas

Cyclones.com didn't have any box scores prior to the '05 game. IIRC, the Toledo game was the worst attended of and the Kent State game was the best. Again UNI, UNI and KU didn't have numbers.

Again, IMO the UNI attendance is rather irrelevant. That's a special game with a good and close fan base. I think you could play that game either night and draw well. Ill St and KSU were comparable - 45+ for both, I think.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Illinois State in 05
Toledo in 06

He made the point about the decrease from 05 to 06, maybe suggesting it was because of Thursday. What about the increase from 06 to 07? Did people like Thursday better that year? I think it shows that JP was right that the fans forced Mac out, and the impact of season expectations/coaches approval rating has on attendance.
Sat:
2005 ISU 44,058
2006 Toledo 42,531
Thurs:
2007 Kent St 47,313

 

[alarson]

I believe the last seven openers (3 and 4) have been

08 SDSU
07 Kent St
06 Toledo

05 Ill St
04 UNI
03 UNI
02 Kansas

Cyclones.com didn't have any box scores prior to the '05 game. IIRC, the Toledo game was the worst attended of and the Kent State game was the best. Again UNI, UNI and KU didn't have numbers.

Again, IMO the UNI attendance is rather irrelevant. That's a special game with a good and close fan base. I think you could play that game either night and draw well. Ill St and KSU were comparable - 45+ for both, I think.

Kent State was also Gene Chiziks first game, and there was a TON of hype around that.

 

[alarson]

He made the point about the decrease from 05 to 06, maybe suggesting it was because of Thursday. What about the increase from 06 to 07?

07 was GC's first game. That explains the uptick, also a huge amount more season tickets. Actual attendance may not have been as much, season ticket holders who cant come are still counted.

Did people like Thursday better that year? I think it shows that JP was right that the fans forced Mac out, and the impact of season expectations/coaches approval rating has on attendance.

false. actually people thought we should do well that year. when we came out and barely beat toledo in 3OT and then barely beat UNI, thats when the fans started getting restless, and it just got worse from there.

Sat:
2005 ISU 44,058
2006 Toledo 42,531
Thurs:
2007 Kent St 47,313

Actually, Toledo was a thursday night game.

 

[DaddyMac]

Kent State was also Gene Chiziks first game, and there was a TON of hype around that.

Agreed.

I wonder if we'll see a similar bounce this year? Kind of doubt it as we're not seeing the same rush on season tickets we did leading into '07 - or if we are, JP is sure keeping it under wraps.

The discounts could offset that, however.

My guess is an announced of 46K or so, with actual butts being closer 43k.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Again, IMO the UNI attendance is rather irrelevant. That's a special game with a good and close fan base. I think you could play that game either night and draw well. Ill St and KSU were comparable - 45+ for both, I think.

I agree. The UNI games skew the numbers in favor of Sat games. Even then, it is a wash, some fans will be happy, some will not. Assuming the difference in fan utility (weighting each fan equally) is not appreciable, is ISU maximizing its potential profit/benefit? Thursday games may turn-off more of the demographic that brings in the money (it would be nice to see which tickets are used), but JP must feel the chance for TV hedges this. If this is true, you could say it has not worked out. Anyone know if the coaches like starting the season a little early?

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Kent State was also Gene Chiziks first game, and there was a TON of hype around that.

Which should remind us all that there's not just one reason or explanation for anything.

I very much like season-opening Thursday night games, but that's because 1)I live in Ames and only need to drive across town; 2)I don't work on Fridays; and 3) the first game of the season means my hopes can legitimately be high.

I would not feel this way if 1)I lived more than an hour away and could not take time off; 2)I worked on Fridays; 3)I had children who couldn't/shouldn't miss school the next day.

 

[alarson]

Agreed.

I wonder if we'll see a similar bounce this year? Kind of doubt it as we're not seeing the same rush on season tickets we did leading into '07 - or if we are, JP is sure keeping it under wraps.

The discounts could offset that, however.

My guess is an announced of 46K or so, with actual butts being closer 43k.

We're gonna see a big uptick because we gave away the tickets for 10 bucks and we threw em into a minipack with the iowa game. Actual attendance will be much lower than official.

Season tickets im guessing are way off, just off of where the minipack\$10 seats have been.

 

[HighOnCy]

Not going to class Thursday, win. Not going to class Friday, win. Its a win/win situation.

 

[alarson]

Not going to class Thursday, win. Not going to class Friday, win. Its a win/win situation.

Unless you have a prof who doesnt like football. I couldnt skip.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

07 was GC's first game. That explains the uptick, also a huge amount more season tickets. Actual attendance may not have been as much, season ticket holders who cant come are still counted.

false. actually people thought we should do well that year. when we came out and barely beat toledo in 3OT and then barely beat UNI, thats when the fans started getting restless, and it just got worse from there.


Actually, Toledo was a thursday night game.

Sorry about the Toledo part, editing mistake.
Like you said, both seasons had emotional reasons that would favor an uptick (high expectations in 06, new coach in 07), but only 07 achieved this. Having a new coach skews the Thursday attendance, but it also boosts the season average as well. Playing UNI/KU skews the attendance figures in favor of Sat. I assume you discredit that as well?

For the record, living out-of-state, I prefer the game to be on Sat.