Agreed. The Orange Krush has been weaker the last few years too, and they’ve had more to cheer about than any group since the mid-2000s. They don’t make it an intimidating environment. I would have killed to have a top-25 team my year in the OK. Instead, we went 16-19. But we still showed up and had fun and tried to make it a tough environment.
Illinois 24, Maryland 6 Postgame
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Thay was Western Michigan. Not a big ten team.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
One distinction: IU got GREAT! If they were 7-3, would the base be as rabid as it is now? Likely not, but they’d still see increased attendance.
In 1983 when we went from good the season before to great that season Memorial Stadium was rocking. If we were 11-0 right now it would be again.
I think it’s nothing to do with the playoffs. It’s a combination of the comfort of games on your large screen tv with cheap beer and food and a general loweringof interest in sports in general by youth.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Except student sections of similarly ranked programs are packed around the country.
Regarding the fan base, I agree our crowds are lackluster. The TT game was good, but the Colgate game was pathetic in terms of fans being into the game, Orange Krush was really bad that game.
I sadly went to the the IU football game this year. Their crowd was louder while they were up 42-10 and we had the ball on second down than our football stadium has been on any down the entire year.
I sadly went to the the IU football game this year. Their crowd was louder while they were up 42-10 and we had the ball on second down than our football stadium has been on any down the entire year.
That's true. Tradition is a hhge factor in stemming the tide. And of course better teams will draw better.
I just don’t believe a student says "We're out the playoffs. I'm blowing off the game. " I don't accept the notion the playoffs changed attendance dynamics.
Not sure of the numbers, but we do have a larger percentage of international students than Kansas, IU and many others, and the vast majority did not grow up with American football.
I thought this was his best game. It seems that far to many times he gets hit once and goes down. This time it seemed like he was moving, twisting and fighting for as much yardage as possible, which is what you would expect from a 255 pound running back. If he can continue this trajectory, he will be a real force.
Students in the North End Zone makes it obvious when they arent there. Nobody can fill in the gaps when they leave. Other fans cant interact with them either. They deserve a better environment.
It is hard to deny that our lack of in-game tradition doesn’t help. The 3 in 1 is a shell of its former self without the Chief. None of those other problems lost a series of 80 year old traditions. We try for new one but none of them compare.
That's an asinine response from the Block I leadership. If they feel that way, not sure why they're leading Block I. CFP or nothing, huh? Do they think we're Alabama or OSU? They can't think of any way to incentivise students to stay? Really... That's fandom worthy of mockery. In my 5 years of student season tickets I never left a single game early and we won a total of 6 games over my final 3 years there including a 47pt and 53pt loss I witnessed in person.
Embarrassing, Block I. Embarrassing.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Agree completely. I’ve seen Robert put it best:
The NFL has 32 teams and 14 playoff spots.
The FBS has 136 teams and 12 playoff spots.
So your fandom simply cannot be determined by whether or not you make the playoffs.
MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
Or you have a better than 90% chance of frustration nearly every year.
As one coach put it, that math doesn't math well for most teams.
I know it sounds counterintuitive to say we need to create some traditions, but surely there are some savvy marketing people in the DIA that could come up with something to keep students (and fans in general) more engaged.
So I feel bad, kind of, for contributing to some negativity regarding the game yesterday (though it is an issue that needs an answer).
I'll try to counter that:
Something that was really cool was that (I guess) the concession staff cooked up too much food and not enough people were buying so that midway through the 4th they distributed a good number of burgers and sandwiches to the couple of sections by us.
Good on the group of individuals that made that decision.
Definitely played well with the people.
I'll try to counter that:
Something that was really cool was that (I guess) the concession staff cooked up too much food and not enough people were buying so that midway through the 4th they distributed a good number of burgers and sandwiches to the couple of sections by us.
Good on the group of individuals that made that decision.
Definitely played well with the people.
Get them out of the NEZ and you’ll see a change.
Problem is they are choosing between playing halo or whatever with their buddies or going to an actual real life experience. Unfortunately a lot of kids prefer the former. They should be out there supporting their team schools whether they are 8-0 or 2-6. Most kids these days don't get that.
IlliniFanHere
- New York
Lotta open receivers...seems the plan is to give up the middle and keep the long bombs out. Thats a lotta passing yardage for a team that is not really up to par.
Free nuggets for every 3rd and long we stop on defense.
You aren't looking at it long enough. We failed to have a strong football culture, particularly right at the critical moment when the digital revolution took over. We didn't have that culture because of the awful records and abysmal losses. We couldn't stack the success across classes so that the torch could be properly carried and fueled. Going 2-10, 3-9, and getting blown out in horrendous ways makes it incredibly challenging to sustain, let alone build, a strong football culture.
But that's not to say things can't change and improve! It's going to take work, creativity, and truly consistent on-field success to get there, and I believe we finally have the right pieces across the board to make that happen. If we build it, they will come.
blackdog
- Champaign
If the problem was unique to football I might agree but its not. Its an Illinois fan problem not a football problem.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
It’s difficult to change the culture when the leaders of the most important piece of the culture (the students) believe they don’t need to show up for a non-playoff bound team.
It starts with them and their response to those questioning their horrible attendance yesterday doesn’t give me a whole lot of hope.
I've been willing to buy in to the "football has been bad therefore our fans don't know how to act" theory.
But as you mentioned it's not just a football problem. It's like our fans act entitled, though overall there hasn't been that much success. There should be a study done on this.
With our 3rd down defense we’d of only gotten like a four piece so far!
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