If We Win, Will They Come?

[MartintheMopMan]

Yes, they'll come. But most of that will be built up long term. When the bandwagon fans start looking for season tickets, you're getting somewhere. Keep building and sustain a really good football program and the generation that grows up watching that will be fans for life.

Well, and every year there are probably 5,000-8,000 new potential fans without any preconceived notions about Indiana football who just want to have a typical college experience drinking in a parking lot and watching football. So, consistent winning matters a lot less than keeping them engaged after we snag them. I know it's just a small part of the fanbase, but every little bit helps.

[Alford Bailey]

Look at the Ohio State game, we were 4-0 and sold out the game heading into it. We win the fans will come. 

How many were OSU fans?

[323SGrant]

I agree, sustained winning would help and consistently converting some of the moral victories each year over the major football brands, e.g., MI, O$U or PSU, into actual wins would also be beneficial.

[The Ola Depot]

How many were OSU fans?

Maybe 25% at the most.

[jmsgws]

I am not sure IU will ever consistently fill the stadium   We didn't do it when we had the short history of winning, so not sure we can do it now.  

I do think we can consistently get in the mid to high 50's for attendance, and I think that would be pretty darn good.  I would really like to see us get where students have a problem getting tickets, as that would mean we have changed the culture for good, and means that football is finally a fore thought instead of an after thought.

[Miller'sTheMan]

How many were OSU fans?

Not near as many as I expected

[RBB89]

I am not sure IU will ever consistently fill the stadium We didn't do it when we had the short history of winning, so not sure we can do it now.

I do think we can consistently get in the mid to high 50's for attendance, and I think that would be pretty darn good. I would really like to see us get where students have a problem getting tickets, as that would mean we have changed the culture for good, and means that football is finally a fore thought instead of an after thought.

Capacity is 52,929. If we are in the mid to high 50s, we are doing pretty darn well, as we would be selling a ton of standing room tix. We're already in the mid 40s.

[RBB89]

How many were OSU fans?

Maybe 10,000 at the most?

[jmsgws]

Capacity is 52,929. If we are in the mid to high 50s, we are doing pretty darn well, as we would be selling a ton of standing room tix. We're already in the mid 40s.

I always thought capacity was in the 60's. After the north end zone. After hearing the capacity then we have a big problem with people buying tickets and not going to the game. Because the stadium most times doesn't even look 1/2 full. :). Thanks for the correction.

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[MartintheMopMan]

I am not sure IU will ever consistently fill the stadium   We didn't do it when we had the short history of winning, so not sure we can do it now.  

I do think we can consistently get in the mid to high 50's for attendance, and I think that would be pretty darn good.  I would really like to see us get where students have a problem getting tickets, as that would mean we have changed the culture for good, and means that football is finally a fore thought instead of an after thought.

We're talking when we had two 8 win seasons in row and a few 6 win seasons back in the late 80s early 90s right?

 

Is it really fair to compare the current fans to the fans 30 years ago? Not to mention, those fans had serious basketball to watch instead. But, it's not like we're a school with traditions or anything. Fans will be bandwagon fans for a long time. Expect them to show up when we're winning and to not bother when we aren't.

[MartintheMopMan]

I always thought capacity was in the 60's. After the north end zone. After hearing the capacity then we have a big problem with people buying tickets and not going to the game. Because the stadium most times doesn't even look 1/2 full. :). Thanks for the correction.

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I mentioned it earlier and I don't know if it's still true (Hova or another student could tell us) but when I bought student season tickets for basketball back in law school, you could only buy them as a ticket pack with football tickets. So, if that's still the case, there are what, 25,000 (student section divided roughly in half since you only get half of the games) or so tickets being sold to students who likely won't use them? It's an obvious ploy to boost our numbers and clearly it's working.

[Hovadipo]

I mentioned it earlier and I don't know if it's still true (Hova or another student could tell us) but when I bought student season tickets for basketball back in law school, you could only buy them as a ticket pack with football tickets. So, if that's still the case, there are what, 25,000 (student section divided roughly in half since you only get half of the games) or so tickets being sold to students who likely won't use them? It's an obvious ploy to boost our numbers and clearly it's working.

Yeah still the same deal. I'm not sure if the student section is 25,000 tickets though. That would be like half the stadium. (Unless I'm reading what you're saying incorrectly)

[jmsgws]

We're talking when we had two 8 win seasons in row and a few 6 win seasons back in the late 80s early 90s right?

 

Is it really fair to compare the current fans to the fans 30 years ago? Not to mention, those fans had serious basketball to watch instead. But, it's not like we're a school with traditions or anything. Fans will be bandwagon fans for a long time. Expect them to show up when we're winning and to not bother when we aren't.

Yes I was going back to that time period. 

I think back then, it was easier to get fans to the game.  There were not nearly the choices to watch as there are now.  Big Screen TV's were an anamoly.  The internet didn't exist. The TV production was basically one view of the field the entire game.  If we could not sell out consistently then, I don't think we will be able to consistently sell out the stadium today.

The basketball was certainly a lot better then, but the season hadn't started until the last week or so of the season, so I don't think BB ever played much of a factor.

[jmsgws]

Yeah still the same deal. I'm not sure if the student section is 25,000 tickets though. That would be like half the stadium. (Unless I'm reading what you're saying incorrectly)

The student section is almost 1/2 the stadium.

I don't remember having to buy football tickets to get basketball tickets.  That could have been the case, though.  I just know football games were some of the most fun I had as a college student.  I enjoyed those Saturday's even better than basketball games. Mainly because it was an all day thing.  We started with a screwdriver breakfast, tailgate for a while.  Then the game.  Then almost always a party that night!

[Hovadipo]

The student section is almost 1/2 the stadium.

I don't remember having to buy football tickets to get basketball tickets. That could have been the case, though. I just know football games were some of the most fun I had as a college student. I enjoyed those Saturday's even better than basketball games. Mainly because it was an all day thing. We started with a screwdriver breakfast, tailgate for a while. Then the game. Then almost always a party that night!

Welp, looks like you're right. I honestly had no idea sections 31-32 were student section. They make us go in gates 2,3,4 so I figured that 25-18 was the only student section.

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[jmsgws]

Welp, looks like you're right. I honestly had no idea sections 31-32 were student section. They make us go in gates 2,3,4 so I figured that 25-18 was the only student section.

ImageUploadedByBtownBanners1449851522.510976.jpg

I guess it is not quite as bad as I thought, though.  I thought sections 26-30 were student seats as well.   I also have to remember the "alumni" side of the stadium is quite a bit taller.  So capacity wise maybe 30 - 35% is student?  I thought closer to 45%.

[MartintheMopMan]

Yeah still the same deal. I'm not sure if the student section is 25,000 tickets though. That would be like half the stadium. (Unless I'm reading what you're saying incorrectly)

That was a pretty random estimate. It's likely closer to 20,000 right? 12,400 student tickets for basketball (At least that's what we claim for the student section). Sold to a little under twice as many students since you only buy the seat for half the time. Probably varies by year, but back in the Zeller years it would mean around 20k or 22k students.

[Hovadipo]

That was a pretty random estimate. It's likely closer to 20,000 right? 12,400 student tickets for basketball (At least that's what we claim for the student section). Sold to a little under twice as many students since you only buy the seat for half the time. Probably varies by year, but back in the Zeller years it would mean around 20k or 22k students.

I'd say 20,000 is probably close. I think we've been around 17k basketball student tickets recently. (I swear I saw that number somewhere before last season but no idea where) and you can buy football only if you wish. (No idea if anyone has ever done that) All I know is 1) We're getting 12 games currently and 2) 6 of 12 games are GA because they made the 3 balcony sections directly above the main level GA, GA as well. So I think there are now 3,000+ GA seats.

[MartintheMopMan]

I'd say 20,000 is probably close. I think we've been around 17k basketball student tickets recently. (I swear I saw that number somewhere before last season but no idea where) and you can buy football only if you wish. (No idea if anyone has ever done that) All I know is 1) We're getting 12 games currently and 2) 6 of 12 games are GA because they made the 3 balcony sections directly above the main level GA, GA as well. So I think there are now 3,000+ GA seats.

I just went to look up the numbers and do the math, but I cannot find a reliable source on how big our student section is. I see 12,400 cited a lot by unofficial sources. News articles comparing student sections from spring 2015 say both 6,800 and 7,800 student reserved seats. Does that not count the GA seats? Aren't those still reserved for students? Looking at the seating chart and doing the math, 12,400 has to be the right number. 40 rows of 100 seats for general public/faculty across roughly 10 sections. So, around 12,400 would remain.

 

17 tickets for home games for 12,400 seats is 210800 tickets distributed. For each student to get 12 tickets, there would have to be 17,566 students with 8 tickets leftover.

 

So, there are only 35,363 seats in Memorial Stadium not accounted for by bundled student tickets.

[Hovadipo]

I just went to look up the numbers and do the math, but I cannot find a reliable source on how big our student section is. I see 12,400 cited a lot by unofficial sources. News articles comparing student sections from spring 2015 say both 6,800 and 7,800 student reserved seats. Does that not count the GA seats? Aren't those still reserved for students? Looking at the seating chart and doing the math, 12,400 has to be the right number. 40 rows of 100 seats for general public/faculty across roughly 10 sections. So, around 12,400 would remain.

17 tickets for home games for 12,400 seats is 210800 tickets distributed. For each student to get 12 tickets, there would have to be 17,566 students with 8 tickets leftover.

So, there are only 35,363 seats in Memorial Stadium not accounted for by bundled student tickets.

You must get *really* bored at work. :)