[TH Spangler]

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.

You've got issues bud

[Jonathan Carone]

I have issues because I acknowledge it's harder now than ever to get kids to not only go to games but stay at them?

[Purple Haize]

I'm perfectly happy on my couch.

C'mon Man! Get off your purple sofa!

That is a hauntingly accurate rendering

[thepostman]

So you don't want to get off your couch because you'd have to put in pants?

I can respect that.

[Purple Haize]

So you don't want to get off your couch because you'd have to put in pants?

I can respect that.

And shower

[Wvflame2013]

I was perfectly fine driving 5.5 hrs from the burg to watch wvu whip tcu. Gameday atmosphere blows away tv, especially if the team is good.

[Purple Haize]

I was perfectly fine driving 5.5 hrs from the burg to watch wvu whip tcu. Gameday atmosphere blows away tv, especially if the team is good.

Game day at WVU is awesome!!!
I drove to see LU at VT I may fly down to see them play Baylor. Those, to me are events, happenings. Plus, I get to see friends I haven't seen in forever. An LU game at LU is light years ahead of where it used to be. But until it becomes an 'event' instead of a thing to do..it's going to take a lot to get me off the sofa
That's a problem LU will always have. It is not competing just against Lynchburg draws but Tech and UVA

[Wvflame2013]

I was perfectly fine driving 5.5 hrs from the burg to watch wvu whip tcu. Gameday atmosphere blows away tv, especially if the team is good.

Game day at WVU is awesome!!!
I drove to see LU at VT I may fly down to see them play Baylor. Those, to me are events, happenings. Plus, I get to see friends I haven't seen in forever. An LU game at LU is light years ahead of where it used to be. But until it becomes an 'event' instead of a thing to do..it's going to take a lot to get me off the sofa
That's a problem LU will always have. It is not competing just against Lynchburg draws but Tech and UVA

I agree on the event aspect. The whole day is an event from tailgating, the mountaineer mantrip, and getting to see friends. I know when I go to a game im heading to the light blue lot to meet my friends. At WVU that sofa used for watching turns into a sofa burning after the big W. Lynchburg will have a tough draw pulling from UVA and Tech. In no offense to Marshall but Liberty will never amount to much more than what marshall is to wvu. There biggest games with large crowds will be because other teams fill their stadium. Liberty max compacity is at most 40k if we ever go fbs.

[Jonathan Carone]

Our games are events when we play good opponents. The problem is we are stuck in the Big South and are guaranteed at least three bad home games a year.

[Cider Jim]

Game day at WVU is awesome!!!

Yeah, if you like consuming moonshine and pepperoni rolls at a tailgate, seeing a Daniel Boone wanna-be shooting his long rifle after every touchdown, hearing a 1970s John Denver song played at the end of every game, and smelling a 1980s couch burning after the game.

[R i]

Big South is the reason these numbers are not good. We saw the numbers inflated when there was a firm belief we would be out of the big south soon, they have had an adjustment now that it seems we are stuck for a while.

[Wvflame2013]

Game day at WVU is awesome!!!

Yeah, if you like consuming moonshine and pepperoni rolls at a tailgate, seeing a Daniel Boone wanna-be shooting his long rifle after every touchdown, hearing a 1970s John Denver song played at the end of every game, and smelling a 1980s couch burning after the game.

Better than marshall and the Joan Stadium we're last week they tried to set fire to the stadium because the turds are so bad.

[Purple Haize]

Game day at WVU is awesome!!!

Yeah, if you like consuming moonshine and pepperoni rolls at a tailgate, seeing a Daniel Boone wanna-be shooting his long rifle after every touchdown, hearing a 1970s John Denver song played at the end of every game, and smelling a 1980s couch burning after the game.

Sounds good to me!!!

[Purple Haize]

Our games are events when we play good opponents. The problem is we are stuck in the Big South and are guaranteed at least three bad home games a year.

That's my point. People will come to the Events.

[Wvflame2013]

Students really only show up when they are promised free stuff, fireworks, getting on ESPN3 (that's a joke in itself) or movies after the game. Not really about the football game as an event.

[Jonathan Carone]

The movies and fireworks don't get students to the games. If they did, they'd stay the whole game which they don't.

What gets kids to games is a simple equation:

Liberty is good + playing known/good team = good crowd

[adam42381]

College kids and football fans like to drink while they tailgate. Since that's not an option at LU, people will find other places to watch or just ignore the game entirely. This is especially true when the home team isn't that good and the opponents are weak. You may not want to acknowledge it, but it's a fact.

[g-webb1994]

I've said it before, when I was a student some 20 years ago at G-W, I went to every home football and men's basketball game, and a bunch on the road too, simply because friends and classmates were busting their butts playing a sport. Support the team, support the school. Concept may not work that well anymore at LU with the large enrollment.

Social media has killed the concept of being social, any college sporting event will tell you that if you look at student sections, whether G-W, LU, or SEC powers, kids today are so hooked on this Facebook and Twitter crapola that their need to be stimulated all the dang time ruins their in-person social interaction skills. Try having a basic interview with a recent college grad if you don't believe me.

[jimflamesfan]

I don't think I've missed more than 2 home games in any season since 1996...and that includes the Karcher years. I also usually go to 1 away game. I have two crazy suggestions. Why not take away the temporary bleachers since we are not filling the permanent seats? There are students in the temporary bleachers when permanent seata are empty. Second, why not move the band to the other end of the Student side near the football operations center...those are always the last seats to fill up because they are furthest from the entrances.

[Dalegarz1]

by g-webb1994 » October 23rd, 2016, 10:29 pm
I've said it before, when I was a student some 20 years ago at G-W, I went to every home football and men's basketball game, and a bunch on the road too, simply because friends and classmates were busting their butts playing a sport. Support the team, support the school. Concept may not work that well anymore at LU with the large enrollment.

Social media has killed the concept of being social, any college sporting event will tell you that if you look at student sections, whether G-W, LU, or SEC powers, kids today are so hooked on this Facebook and Twitter crapola that their need to be stimulated all the dang time ruins their in-person social interaction skills. Try having a basic interview with a recent college grad if you don't believe me.



I'm afraid there is more truth in this statement than I would like to admit!

[FlamesHighontheTide]

I just want to mention something about the comments that were made about Nasser.

1. Yes, when Johnny Moore left and David Nasser took over there was rejection and negativity towards Nasser.

2. It was a good thing Johnny Moore left, he was getting to political just like Jerry Jr. instead of focusing on Biblically what the school needed.

3. Nasser did not deserve all the negativity or rejection from the student body and I happen to know first-hand that David Nasser is a wonderful Godly man who cares deeply about the holiness of the students of LU. The university is very fortunate to have him there to minister and serve them.

I could write much more in regards to this as it's kind of a hobby horse, but I do know there is another forum for this kind of thing.

[Jonathan Carone]

I just want to mention something about the comments that were made about Nasser.

1. Yes, when Johnny Moore left and David Nasser took over there was rejection and negativity towards Nasser.

2. It was a good thing Johnny Moore left, he was getting to political just like Jerry Jr. instead of focusing on Biblically what the school needed.

3. Nasser did not deserve all the negativity or rejection from the student body and I happen to know first-hand that David Nasser is a wonderful Godly man who cares deeply about the holiness of the students of LU. The university is very fortunate to have him there to minister and serve them.

I could write much more in regards to this as it's kind of a hobby horse, but I do know there is another forum for this kind of thing.

I can't disagree with most of the things you said. That said, there was (and still is) a lot of negativity towards Nasser.

[Purple Haize]

I thought he did a horrible job in Egypt

[LUnpretty11]

Great post, Dale. Good way to get the discussion started, however, attendance (more specifically student attendance) has been a topic of debate and discussion here for a while now. This thread becomes irrelevant if we make the playoffs again. Attendance last year was at an all-time high because we were coming off a playoff appearance and playoff win over JMU. We had everyone's attention and were pulling people away from VT/UVA to come watch us. We completely muffed away the season much like our punt return specialist do on a weekly basis, and you are now stuck with the result of little support. If Buckshot and co can lead us to the playoffs, host a playoff game and or win a playoff game, you will see support skyrocket for the 2017 season again.

I wholeheartedly disagree with Jon on JLFJR's impact on attendance and support of the football program. You may have 100 or so people who are stubborn enough to not attend games, but Liberty is to a point where the fans are there to see Liberty football and don't let the University politics play a factor into their fandom.

[thepostman]

Was Nasser really disliked because of love for Johnny Moore?? Is this a real thing? I never could stand Johnny Moore and never knew many who liked him. He did give me and my brother plenty of material for jokes back in my 90.9 days and for that I was always appreciative. Haha

He was always like that annoying kid down the street that always insisted on being part of whatever the big Kids were doing.