- October 23rd, 2016, 4:58 pm
#519844
As for the students - you guys know my background. I was front row on the 50 leading the student section for four years. I did everything I could to get more students to games and get more people to care. I'm a gigantic advocate of students getting involved in athletics.
With that said, you have to look at the current climate both on campus and in general.
There are a few things we'll always fight against in terms of student engagement. The fact that we televise games makes it easier to hang out in the dorm and catch the game while also watching their favorite childhood team.
Our students also aren't fans of the teams. They're college kids in a small college town looking for something to do. Tailgating with friends is fun. Getting on the video board is fun. Watching a game is fun for a while. But the second the game gets boring, they go looking for the next fun thing to do.
Because our student section is 100% general admission, students have to get into the stadium 60-90 minutes before the game to get decent seats. That means to tailgate, get a good seat, and watch the entire game, you're investing 6-7 hours of your Saturday. Most students at any school aren't going to do that.
Now, turning to the current climate on campus:
When I was in school, we were chanting Jerry's name, being invited to his box, and he was a gigantic celebrity. Over the past year, we've heard reports of Jerry being booed at a football game and at graduation. On top of that, Nasser isn't highly thought of. While not everyone loved Johnny Moore, he wasn't outright disliked by a large group of students. When the students don't support or trust the leaders they see most often, they're less likely to support the athletic department or coaches when they come in and push students to come to a game.
On top of that, there are more ways than ever for students to vet the messages they're getting. It's easier for them to find out how good we actually are vs what the hype is telling them. If this generation smells BS, they turn on you.
Turning to the current climate of college students:
More students are having to work through school just to get by. The biggest day to work is Saturday.
The attention span of students is shorter than ever. Like I mentioned above, most 18-22 year olds aren't going to commit and entire day to something, especially if there's something else (hockey games, Scaremare, movies, other football games on tv, etc) competing for it.
Schools across the country have students leaving early. When Saban is pleading for students to stay, you know it's a national issue.
--Fumble (1961-2009), RIP
- By LU Armchair coach
- By Sly Fox