Student attendance not a problem just at Iowa...

[volhawk50]

I can see why it might struggle a bit in the SEC. What if your team is playing on CBS HD? Who wants to sit in a stadium for 4+ hours watching one hour of football, especially when you have poor cell signal? Unless your seat location is really good and the weather is perfect, it would make sense to opt out.

 

[imported_ankle23]

First you have to lower the ticket prices because if you aint got the scratch you aint going.

Second give them a reduced priced brat/dog and drink. They have open seating which is already good but maybe the endzone seats are a liability .

The students want to party so think up some things they can do to have fun during the 2 minute long tv commercials.

They all tweet and text so have them do text voting on subjects and post the voting on the scoreboard (hottest coed contest) yeah

Give them chances to win some eats and drinks,.

Maybe have a place for those that need to sober up rather than taking them straight to jail.

F the students. if they don't want to come, then don't bribe them. student section was notorious in the early 90s as well, and i doubt that generation is lost. i say reduce the student section size and sell it to folks who actually want to watch the game.

 

[kmurp]

F the students. if they don't want to come, then don't bribe them. student section was notorious in the early 90s as well, and i doubt that generation is lost. i say reduce the student section size and sell it to folks who actually want to watch the game.

Probably not a good long term plan. I think one needs to cultivate these folks for the long term and it starts when they are students. We need to lower prices and movce them to better seats, but given the out of control spending, we probably can't afford it. Twenty years from now, the architects of this will be gone and there will be no one left to blame when people no longer care to come bacvk to games.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

As a 25 year old, I take offense to all of these people lumping everyone from a specific generation into one bucket. Yes, my generation likes to have information at our fingertips all the time. My biggest gripe lately when going to games at Kinnick (I attended 4 this year) is that I can't tweet and have a social interaction with others about the game. One of the reasons I love watching at home is to get trends, stats and player updates throughout the game. If I could get Twitter in Kinnick or any internet connection at all on my phone, I'd be able to stay informed on what is going on with players. Marc Morehouse, Pat Hardy, Rick Brown, ESPN, etc all do a great job of tweeting updates throughout the game on injuries, stats, if history is being made etc. If you've been to any games at Kinnick you'd know that there is only one section of the video boards that has stats throughout the game. There are scrolling stats, but they really aren't helpful on the new video boards. The announcer is as dry as mud, he needs to be replaced with someone that will get the crowd into the game. There are a whole slew of other issues that I see as well but those are for another post.

Relax, nobody is branding you.

But interestingly enough, your statement is a more complete reinforcement of the stereotype than anything I could possibly make up.

And please don't bother with the "you're an old guy and just don't understand" retort. My work centers around digital technology...I teach people how to redesign their traditional business models to thrive in today's world. And I'm damn good at it. Leveraging social media is integral to my daily activities.

The difference is...I haven't lost my soul to a silicon chip. I understand and value the meaning and depth that only "analog" relationships can deliver. There's no substitute for actually being there. I can survive, nay thrive, without a cell phone in my hand or iPad in my lap.

 

[3GHawk]

As a 25 year old, I take offense to all of these people lumping everyone from a specific generation into one bucket. Yes, my generation likes to have information at our fingertips all the time. My biggest gripe lately when going to games at Kinnick (I attended 4 this year) is that I can't tweet and have a social interaction with others about the game. One of the reasons I love watching at home is to get trends, stats and player updates throughout the game. If I could get Twitter in Kinnick or any internet connection at all on my phone, I'd be able to stay informed on what is going on with players. Marc Morehouse, Pat Hardy, Rick Brown, ESPN, etc all do a great job of tweeting updates throughout the game on injuries, stats, if history is being made etc. If you've been to any games at Kinnick you'd know that there is only one section of the video boards that has stats throughout the game. There are scrolling stats, but they really aren't helpful on the new video boards. The announcer is as dry as mud, he needs to be replaced with someone that will get the crowd into the game. There are a whole slew of other issues that I see as well but those are for another post.

If you're at a game with around 70k and you're unable to have social interaction, I'd suggest that your network might not be the problem. Also, if people weren't on their phones they might be a little more involved the game that is happening right in front of them. I believe the announcer is the same guy it has been for at least 25 years. I could be wrong, but he is the only I remember. Kinnick used to be much louder. Part of that might have been due to the fact they were a little loser on policing alcohol but I've been surprised that there have been comments about how loud Kinnick was this year (Michigan).

You say the environment is lacking. I say the crowd is lacking.

 

[imported_ankle23]

Probably not a good long term plan. I think one needs to cultivate these folks for the long term and it starts when they are students. We need to lower prices and movce them to better seats, but given the out of control spending, we probably can't afford it. Twenty years from now, the architects of this will be gone and there will be no one left to blame when people no longer care to come bacvk to games.

look at the reax to the games this weekend. i.e. the video on this board of the ending of the iron bowl and the various reactions. there is no chance that there will be a 'lost generation'.

i didn't become an iowa fan by being in kinnick stadium as a student while at iowa.

if the kids want to go to the game, they will go because of the game. not because of some stupid hot dog promotion.

to the person who said the student section used to be great - hey, i was right there with ya on the 35/40 yard line. but even back then the student section was not full. plenty of clowns just going to drink, or for something to do. with all the crack downs on drinking surrounding the game, it's no wonder kids don't want the hassle.

 

[ColoradoHAWKEYE]

Buy one of those headset radios kid and pipe in Eddy P....(although dolph will get ya like that stadium announcer with the boring monotone)...

 

[HawkfaninWA]

Here's a perspective from out here in WA. Went to a Huskie game earlier this year and it is the first time where the stadium experience was close to an at home HD experience. They just renovated the stadium at UW and the video board is ridiculous. I could watch the play and then glance over and watch the replay and get all the stats, updates, etc. if I wanted. Made me want to go back and fight the crowds.

However, if the team sucks this all can be thrown out. When Iowa is good, the students will come. Full section? Doubtful because they're lazy and are busy with stuff like school, partying, and girls.

 

[RoseBowlBound]

Current Student here, no one cares about where the seats are. At least no one I've ever talked to.

 

[trj]

Interesting debate and/or topic here, i am a GenXer caught in the middle of this I see both sides. Given ticket prices and the overall price to go to a game, I lean toward the "kids" on this debate. Spend the money, upgrade the wii-fi, the fiber optics, make the experience/atmosphere as good as you can get it. You are not winning over the diehards, you are already have them, you need to win over the causal fan for generations to come.

That being said, I get where ankle/drummer/freak are coming from-- there is a generation of kids that are a slave to technology, face to face interaction skills have been completely lost because of it.