grizatwork said:
statler & waldorf said:
One or more posters noted that the WGS was half empty after the half. Did they end up coming back after a long tailgating session, or just leave? If it's the latter, the Delaney hangover may a preview of things to come. Changing fan base or expectations not met?
Many stayed away, but that is par for the course in a blowout game with the weather worsening. It has been happening for as long as I can remember. There is a similar post about it on bobcat nation. People are slow coming in or don't come back at all. There are fans who are there for the social aspect of it. They will not come back, but stay outside in a game like that. People may not like it, but college football is a social event, with many seats held by businesses or corporations. I have 2 right next to me that are hardly ever filled. Maybe 2 games a year. Like it or not, we need the bandwagon, social event fans.
A lot didn't come back, but there was a lot leaving early as well. More concerning speaking of the businesses and corporations were the number of the corporate tailgate sites that were empty as in not rented for the game. There were also far fewer companies entertaining. One of the banks has sublet their site over the past couple of years because renting it for every game was the only way they could be assured having it. There were no takers this year.
Its sort of funny the folks you guys are calling bandwagon Fans that have had seats and GSA (or GAA)for years and have had a large part of making game day the event it was are in fact getting older and preferring a griz party at home to attending the game, or are thrilled that the greatest improvement to the stadium in years was adding the hand rails are giving up their seats because of what they call band wagon fans.
They look at the newer fans that many of you represent as guys who simply don't get what Grizzly Football is all about. What they see is a minority of fans who equate a great program as starting with a dominating team most concerned with wins and disdainful to anyone who doesn't share their particular passion for the game and god forbid anyone who wasn't a star back in the day attempt to be fan. These guys seem to believe a great program results from the "record" and championship banners.
This old group believe great teams come from great all around programs with the broadest fan base possible. Yup there have always been problems with players, brushes with the law, and what have you (hell there was even a child molester although he was a BB player) but Community and the program were far more important than anything. The problems of the last few years would NEVER have gotten as far out of hand as they did with the old leadership. The old Bandwagon Fans know that.
If you want to believe these changes in attitude and present leadership not hurting the program and will not make it a difficult hole to climb out of go for it. PR in a thread not long ago promised he and his family would pony up 5 million, so maybe we are okay
