[NU Sports] Attendance

johnadeg at comcast.net johnadeg at comcast.net
Mon Nov 19 14:28:01 CST 2007 

Few politicians have ever done anything without expecting something in return; look at all the earmarks and similar legislation.

John DeGroat
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Jeff Beamsley" <jeff.beamsley at hilgraeve.com>
>  
> How long did you live in Evanston?
> 
> The cynicism about politicians aside, this is not the sort of relationship
> that can be easily lubricated with football tickets.
> 
> The town and the University have been at odds for years because both feel
> that they would be better off if the other didn't exist.  
> 
> The city feels that the University uses more than its fair share of services
> since it pays no real estate taxes.  Also, unlike many other private
> universities, it makes no voluntary payments for additional real estate that
> it may purchase and remove from the local tax rolls.  
> 
> The University feels that between students, teachers, and staff; it
> contributes way more to the local economy than it uses in services.  
> 
> As a result, the city takes advantage of every opportunity it can to claw
> back revenue that it feels it is owed.  The University on the other hand has
> its own set of trench war tactics including continuing to expand its real
> estate holdings in the community.
> 
> Jeff
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
> Behalf Of johnadeg at comcast.net
> Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 2:46 PM
> To: Jonathan Hodges; Michael Vance
> Cc: nwu-sports at tssi.com
> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Attendance
> 
> I doubt that Evanston politicians are any different from those in Washington
> or at the state and local levels.  Revisit the limitations on night games and
> give them some season tickets and parking slots.
>   No connection between the two events of course.
> John DeGroat
>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Jonathan Hodges" <jonathanwhodges at gmail.com>
> > I believe it is based on the start time of the game: e.g. anything 
> > after 6PM would be a night game (2:30 starts, although requiring 
> > temporary lights, are not considered night games).  Of course I can't 
> > find any direct reference to the rule that allows only one night game 
> > per year, although it may just be an "unofficial" agreement between the
> school and the city.
> > 
> > Also, night games are typically announced before the season.
> > 
> > Jonathan
> > 
> > On Nov 18, 2007 1:57 PM, Michael Vance < michael.vance at att.net> wrote:
> > 
> > > What qualifies as a "night game" for the Evanston ordinance? Is it 
> > > defined by kickoff beyond a certain time, regardless of the time of 
> > > year and amount of available natural light or is it based on whether 
> > > we need to put up the temporary artificial lights?
> > >
> > > -Michael
> > >
> > > Mark Ament wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Our game was allowed because it was on the ESPN family of 
> > > > networks, of which ABC is only a small player these days. There 
> > > > are certain weeks in which BTN has second choice, I believe it's 
> > > > twice a year, but it won't be on the last week of the year. It may 
> > > > have been last week as the tOSU-Wisky game was forced on the BTN.
> > > >
> > > > The BTN games I believe are exempt from the no conflict rule and 
> > > > can be opposite both ESPN and ABC games so shouldn't interfere 
> > > > with time changes, should NU decide to adopt a different start 
> > > > time for some games next year. Keep in mind however, that NU is 
> > > > bound by the Evanston ordinance that permits only one night game 
> > > > per season and has shown no inclination to ask for that to be changed.
> > > >
> > > > Mark
> > > >
> > > > SportsBiz - The Business of Sports Illuminated 
> > > > <http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com/>
> > > >
> > > > When it comes to sports, you know it's all about
> > > >
> > > > the money.
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com 
> > > > [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com ] On Behalf Of Michael Vance
> > > > Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 12:51 AM
> > > > To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
> > > > Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Attendance
> > > >
> > > > Are the rules regarding the scheduling of games opposite ABC 
> > > > published
> > > >
> > > > somewhere? Because today there were two Big Ten games at 12:00 EST
> > > >
> > > > (Mich-OSU on ABC and NU-Ill on EPSN) and four at 3:30 (MSU-PSU on
> > > >
> > > > ABC/ESPN regional coverage, and the rest on BTN. Was our game 
> > > > allowed
> > > >
> > > > opposite Mich-OSU because it was on another ABC network?
> > > >
> > > > Also, didn't I read something about BTN getting second pick some weeks?
> > > >
> > > > I agree that more late starts would help attendance a lot for NU 
> > > > and
> > > >
> > > > other Central time teams.
> > > >
> > > > -Michael
> > > >
> > > > Jonathan Hodges wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Some good ideas - obviously some new and fresh ideas are needed 
> > > > > to
> > > > address
> > > >
> > > > > this issue, because outside of winning a lot of games year in 
> > > > > and
> > > > year out,
> > > >
> > > > > the old stuff isn't working. I would like to address some the 
> > > > > things
> > > that
> > > >
> > > > > you brought up, though:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > - Starting times: it's all in the hands of the networks, and the
> > > > agreement
> > > >
> > > > > with ESPN says that no BTN games can be opposite the "marquee" 
> > > > > ABC
> > > > matchup
> > > >
> > > > > of the day (typically the 2:30 slot, but in the case of the
> > > OSU/Michigan
> > > >
> > > > > game it's noon). ESPN/ABC gets their pick(s) first, and the BTN 
> > > > > has to
> > > >
> > > > > schedule their games around those games, giving the Big Ten and
> > > > specifically
> > > >
> > > > > Northwestern little control in regards to time of games.
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > - Northern Illinois: NIU is now insisting on home-and-home 
> > > > > series
> > > > games (NU
> > > >
> > > > > has never played NIU away from home), which I don't think NU is
> > > > willing to
> > > >
> > > > > do. Maybe if it was 2 for one or better, NU may go for it, but 
> > > > > Murphy
> > > >
> > > > > insists on having 7 home games (something I don't disagree with) 
> > > > > and
> > > >
> > > > > home-and-home series against MAC level competition won't let NU 
> > > > > get
> > > > there.
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > - "Home" game away from Ryan Field: a bad idea and won't do 
> > > > > anything
> > > for
> > > >
> > > > > numbers outside of on paper, especially since renting a facility 
> > > > > and
> > > > dealing
> > > >
> > > > > with travel, etc. won't really make NU any money. And I 
> > > > > completely
> > > > disagree
> > > >
> > > > > with the idea of selling out by moving a home game closer to an
> > > > opponent as
> > > >
> > > > > an attempt to get more fans - in that case don't even try to get 
> > > > > home
> > > > games.
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > - Day of Game discounts: GREAT idea. This is a college (amateur 
> > > > > level)
> > > >
> > > > > sport. A $50 tag drives away almost every casual fan family who 
> > > > > can't
> > > >
> > > > > afford that steep price - oh, and once they get to the game 
> > > > > there's
> > > > no money
> > > >
> > > > > left for the pricey concessions. Especially for nonconference 
> > > > > games,
> > > NU
> > > >
> > > > > needs to play with the prices (bring them down A LOT) to attract
> > > > people to
> > > >
> > > > > the game. The fact is that it can't hurt, NU saw TWO games this 
> > > > > year
> > > > under
> > > >
> > > > > 20,000 in attendance with another THREE just over 20,000.
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Anyways, not trying to shoot down any idea, the fact is NU needs 
> > > > > a new
> > >
> > > >
> > > > > well-thought-out strategy regarding attendance and filling the seats.
> > > I
> > > >
> > > > > would hope that this discussion is starting in the athletic 
> > > > > department
> > > >
> > > > > shortly, and IMHO it would be advisable to include NU fans in 
> > > > > the
> > > > discussion
> > > >
> > > > > (maybe a town hall type format or an internet exchange).
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Jonathan
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > On Nov 16, 2007 8:49 PM, < WildElk2 at aol.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > >> Master of the Obvious Dept.: The 12 game schedule has made it 
> > > > >> more
> > > >
> > > > >> difficult
> > > >
> > > > >> to get decent crowds, although Mark Murphy is on record that he 
> > > > >> will
> > > > take
> > > >
> > > > >> a
> > > >
> > > > >> win at home in front of 15,000, as he feels that more wins will
> > > >
> > > > >> eventually
> > > >
> > > > >> equal more people.
> > > >
> > > > >> With the BTN, there may be more flexibility of starting times. 
> > > > >> Maybe
> > > >
> > > > >> we
> > > >
> > > > >> can ask the BTN for more 2:30 PM games (as well as an 
> > > > >> occasional
> > > night
> > > >
> > > > >> game)? 11:00 AM kick-offs have to keep at least a few people away.
> > > The
> > > >
> > > > >> Duke
> > > >
> > > > >> game is perfect example, as it produced 6,7,000 more than the
> > > >
> > > > >> Northeastern/Nevada games.
> > > >
> > > > >> Get a series with Northern Ill.. A five year series with 3 
> > > > >> games in
> > > >
> > > > >> Evanston. This would help both programs , who struggle with 
> > > > >> early
> > > season
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >> attendance issues.
> > > >
> > > > >> Schedule a "home" game outside of Dyche Stadium. This is not a
> > > paycheck
> > > >
> > > > >> game like the one we disgustingly played vs. Ohio St. at 
> > > > >> Cleveland
> > > >
> > > > >> Municipal
> > > >
> > > > >> Stadium in the early Nineties. There are plenty of small 
> > > > >> stadiums
> > > >
> > > > >> across the
> > > >
> > > > >> country that hold 20,000-25,000. An example would be Hershey 
> > > > >> Park
> > > >
> > > > >> Stadium
> > > >
> > > > >> in Hershey, Pa., which holds 20,000. In 2009 we play Towson; a
> > > perfect
> > > >
> > > > >> game
> > > >
> > > > >> to make it easy for east coast alums and fans. Notre Dame is 
> > > > >> playing
> > > >
> > > > >> "home"
> > > >
> > > > >> games in San Antonio and Jacksonville in the near future.
> > > >
> > > > >> On the day of the game, if we have a 20,000-25,000 ish crowd, 
> > > > >> sell
> > > the
> > > >
> > > > >> end zone and goal-line seats for $5, and advertise the hell out 
> > > > >> of it
> > > >
> > > > >> via
> > > >
> > > > >> newspapers, radio, TV. Just get people here; they'll buy hot 
> > > > >> dogs,
> > > >
> > > > >> programs,
> > > >
> > > > >> and once in a while, they'll get a junkie hooked like me, who 
> > > > >> paid
> > > > $4 for
> > > >
> > > > >> end
> > > >
> > > > >> zone seats circa. 1980. In the same vein, bring back Band Day 
> > > > >> and
> > > sell
> > > >
> > > > >> all
> > > >
> > > > >> those crappy seats for a $1 for each band member.
> > > >
> > > > >> Crowds(?) of 16,000, 17,000, and 20,000 for a conference game 
> > > > >> is
> > > >
> > > > >> unacceptable. Time to take steps to change.
> > > >
> > > > >> As far as the Illinois game, I anticipate a hard-hitting 
> > > > >> nail-biter,
> > > >
> > > > >> but
> > > >
> > > > >> I'm picking Illinois to win, as after 4 straight wins, it's
> > > Illinois's
> > > >
> > > > >> turn.
> > > >
> > > > >> They will not take us lightly, and after 4 straight losses and 
> > > > >> so
> > > > much on
> > > >
> > > > >> the line, I see no let-down. We need to stop the run, period. 
> > > > >> With
> > > that
> > > >
> > > > >> said,
> > > >
> > > > >> I see a 31-27 Illinois win. If we can stop the run , we'll give
> > > >
> > > > >> ourselves
> > > >
> > > > >> a chance to win.
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >> GO CATS!!! Eric
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >> ************************************** See what's new at
> > > >
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> > > >
> > > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > >
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> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > >
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> > > >
> > >
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> > >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --
> > Jonathan W. Hodges
> > 1237 Emerson St Apt 2
> > Evanston, IL  60201-3577
> > (847) 736-2449
> > jonathanwhodges at gmail.com
> > _______________________________________________
> > nwu-sports site list
> > nwu-sports at tssi.com
> > http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
> 
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