[jcmanson]

Maybe it's not about JUST winning. Maybe it's about game day management. Have you considered that? Parking is and always has been atrocious. If you want to grab something from a concession stand, you're going to have to miss a full quarter of game action for an overpriced cold pretzel. Maybe people leave when there's still 20 minutes left in the game because they already launched the post-game fireworks.

Seriously? How is parking atrocious? Parking for a Division 1 football game is absolutely wonderful at LU.

[BJWilliams]

Maybe it's not about JUST winning. Maybe it's about game day management. Have you considered that? Parking is and always has been atrocious. If you want to grab something from a concession stand, you're going to have to miss a full quarter of game action for an overpriced cold pretzel. Maybe people leave when there's still 20 minutes left in the game because they already launched the post-game fireworks.

Look tool...we already went over what happened with the fireworks ad nauseum ad infinitum. Not to mention with the change on the home side, they have seriously upgraded the concessions over there. As for parking, it may be bad for the students during the week but it is FAR from it on gameday. Now as a student myself Ive never had to think about finding a place to park on a gameday but there are PLENTY of parking spaces within not too long of a walk. If youre whining that you cant get valet service or you cant get the parking right next to the stadium, as Colin Cowherd would say, "that's a you problem."

[prototype]

Culture is not only about winning. It does play in to it, but it's not everything...

Culture has to do with how Liberty fans, in this case - students, feel needed and wanted. It's about pride not only in their team, but in their school. It means that they want to show the whole world that LU is the best University in the Country and that everyone else made a huge mistake going somewhere else. It's about wanting to be there until the very end of the game to support your friends on the field and to make every minute of the game uncomfortable for the opponent, not just the 1st half. It's making the students feel like they are an important part of a teams success and truly feel they give that athletes the extra energy they need to play their best. It's creating traditions by students, and sometimes helped along by staff, that keep non-sport fans engaged in the game.

It's nice to have a 26-4 record at home, but it's more important to play opponents that fans get excited about all week about. Opponents that make you want to talk trash to others on your Facebook page (In-state, big names). It's hard to get up for games against Concord, Savannah State, etc... There's no connection there. And what is there to gain? Boring blowout? Close win over an inferior team? - Do you really think the casual sports fan is going to be excited about the next home game against Glenville State? Conference Games already carry more weight, because we play them every year and learn to hate each other naturally.

It's not all scheduling, a big part is going to be on the students to find that group of leaders that will get people in to the games. "Move those Chains", 3rd down Noise, chants, etc... And some on administration to giveaway stuff and develop promotions that include students... Concerts after are a recipe for disaster - now you're planning for two events and you are just giving the wrong message if the culture is to change - It's about the game and the competition, not just hoping people stick around to see DJ Shaggy perform.

[thepostman]

the problem, sadly, is with the students leaving....not the baptist side...they have a great place to watch a game over there...the student side...not so much...it will come in time, but lets not pretend things are perfect and lets not forget we are not a bcs school, we aren't even fbs for that matter...I am telling you guys, whether you like it or not, that has everything to do with the students not caring...we play some high quality teams (next year looks good for that by the way) and the students will stay the whole game...

this is far from a Liberty problem just look around, go to other schools around the country and you will seem very similar things unless its a major program

[BJWilliams]

Right now we have Richmond for a home and home (now if we can just get William and Mary to renew with us...that was a real good little series we had going), but really it takes two to tango. Most of the bigger name teams in I-AA/FCS (a few Ive mentioned already) dont want to come to Lynchburg. We arent a good enough win to really be something to hang their hat on, but we are a bad enough loss that it wouldnt necessarily destroy their season but it certainly would not help their chances come selection Sunday. 2011 definitely sounds like itll be an upgrade, but I dont think we'll have App State or Delaware or even Elon lining up at our door to play us in our house.

[Liberty4Life]

Look tool...

Okay, seriously?

Just a few days ago, you called me a d----- bag because I criticized our "black-for-black's-sake" uniforms (and I am not the only one to be opposed to this http://www.uniwatchblog.com/2010/04/24/bfbs-pt-ii/), and now, you're calling me a "tool" because I had the audacity to suggest that our game management was less-than-optimal, and thus, keeping students away.

Here's a word of advice: If you disagree with someone, don't let the argument denigrate into ad hominem attacks.

Whatever. I'm out of here.

[prototype]

L4L Please don't let BJ push you away. We like different opinions here. Sometimes even BJ has a good thought or two - well...at least one.

Tool? Come on BJ... Stop being so defensive - people have there own experiences - this is the place to vent.

[Chippy]

Instead of Jerry Jr. imploring the students to stay throughout the game, why not have the football team (eg. Mike Brown) or Coach Rocco do that. It's important that the students hear from the team how important seeing the stands full through the whole game is. It would also be nice if we had a tradition at the end of the game that involved the students - in addition to the prayer.

[Cider Jim]

Just modify our slogan a little:

Be early.

Wear red.

Stay late.

[LUnpretty11]

Just modify our slogan a little:

Be early.

Wear red.

Stay late.

Just not past curfew.

[SumItUp]

Just modify our slogan a little:

Be early.

Wear red.

Stay late.

You, my friend, are a literary genius. I think this should be changed.

[SuperJon]

Could the problem be that we're encouraging everyone to get there so early that they waste an hour and a half before the game so they feel that, after spending three hours there, they've spent enough time there and want to do something else? Name another school where students have to get there an hour to hour and a half early? If our kids were late and then left at halftime, that would be one thing. Our kids are there yelling for an hour during warmups and then are missing the last hour of the game. As a student, I had to stop tailgating an hour and a half before the game to go in and get my seats. We would send people in 90 minutes before to save the seats and then 2-3 of us would tear down the tailgate so we could get in there too. I can't tell you how much more fun it was this year being able to tailgate until 30 minutes before and then walk in and see pregame.

[SumItUp]

I think you are on to something.

[jcmanson]

But are the students that are getting there an hour early the same ones who are leaving early? I mean there are a decent amount of students that don't show up until the last 20-30 minutes prior to the game.

[BJWilliams]

Its quite the conundrum...the 12th Man contest certainly is a good idea and has spurred some very interesting groups in the stands, but what about those small groups of three or four friends who may not even be in the same dorm who go to the games? what about having more games that actually involve students? I was down at the CCU game and while the band was getting set up for halftime they had a contest on field where a student had to catch punts (and its actually harder than you think) to win prizes. Just something to be thinking about as well...

[Imwhatshesaid]

Just modify our slogan a little:

Be early.

Wear red.

Stay late.

You, my friend, are a literary genius. I think this should be changed.

Actually they did change it to combat this problem amusingly enough. The new slogan is:
Be Early.
Be Loud.
Stay Sixty Minuets.
And Wear Red.

No joke they have said this at multiple other events leading up to our last two home games.

This is not the answer to this problem though. Going back to what Prototype said and what SJ was talking about the atmosphere at our home games just isn't where it needs to be. Being a student myself and experiencing these things first hand I can understand completely how exhausting it can be to show up an hour and a half early to a game just to get a decent seat. For me that meant tailgating 3-4 hours before game time in order to get a good amount of tailgating in before I suffered through the hour and a half wait on those uncomfortable benches holding my coveted front row spot. But I have noticed that it usually isn't the pregame warriors that are the ones that are leaving. Those who are passionate enough to show up that early to a game usually go the extra mile and stay for the whole game. It seems that those who have their arm twisted by their RAs or sports minded friends are the ones that leave early, and unfortunately that seems to be a large number of students at this time.

I couldn't agree more that the student body needs to feel needed at games, showing up to watch your team beat a school you have never heard of by 35 points is not an enjoyable experience for many people, myself included. And to be honest when playing a team that your third string can handle on a bad day you don't need a large fan base to win, you are just going to win by default. Getting bigger schools to come play in Lynchburg is one of the first steps that needs to be taken to get our fan base behind out team again, and we need to beat some of those teams as well. Not any one solution will solve this problem. It is a delicate balance of wins, opponents, and urging from both the team and the administration. I hope that in my time at LU I will see us beat a big name school and watch an excited student body cheer us on the whole sixty mins to a big win.

[bigsmooth]

atrocious parking??? that is laughable. even a non flames club member has a short walk and an easy out of williams stadium. VMI has bad parking, W&M has bad parking, not LU.

[thepostman]

they don't have curb side valet parking, enough said!!!

[Cider Jim]

Actually they did change it to combat this problem amusingly enough. The new slogan is:
Be Early.
Be Loud.
Stay Sixty Minuets.
And Wear Red.

Why would they create a new slogan with a TYPO?

[BJWilliams]

Agreed CJ...I mean what is this the 18th Century?

[Imwhatshesaid]

Actually they did change it to combat this problem amusingly enough. The new slogan is:
Be Early.
Be Loud.
Stay Sixty Minuets.
And Wear Red.

Why would they create a new slogan with a TYPO?

Hey it happens every now and then, don't hate!

[JrCoram]

Im new to this post, and FlameFans. Since im online student I dont get to hear or see updates on campus so I was wondering when the phase should be completed, maybe before next season, I was thinking though probably before the 2012 year??

[Sly Fox]

First off, thanks for posting. No announcement has been made concerning when Phase 2 construction will begin. As we have mentioned in this thread and others, there are a number of variables that are being considered by the administration that factor into the decision to give a green light on the project.

[BigAl57]

Im new to this post, and FlameFans. Since im online student I dont get to hear or see updates on campus so I was wondering when the phase should be completed, maybe before next season, I was thinking though probably before the 2012 year??

Jr. Welcome aboard. Hang with FF and you have all the inside scoop on all the info with anything to do with LU sports

[From the class of 09]

Im new to this post, and FlameFans. Since im online student I dont get to hear or see updates on campus so I was wondering when the phase should be completed, maybe before next season, I was thinking though probably before the 2012 year??

It's generally agreed upon (as much as anything is on this board) that the earliest the 2nd Phase would be done would be for fall 2012.