Congrats to App State for leading FCS in attendance again

[PAllen]

Leading the FCS in attendance per game for the 5th time in 6 years.

(Warning: Article is mostly about FBS attendance, but ASU is mentioned towards the end.)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/michiga...18--ncaaf.html

[Apphole]

There is a part of me every year that wishes App has to play on the road for every playoff game. We average 28-29 every year in the regular season and the "official number is always closer to 25.

[PaladinFan]

There is a part of me every year that wishes App has to play on the road for every playoff game. We average 28-29 every year in the regular season and the "official number is always closer to 25.

Why would you wish that? Up until this past year, App was darn near invincible at home the past ten years or so.

[Apphole]

Why would you wish that? Up until this past year, App was darn near invincible at home the past ten years or so.

I said "part of me" wishes. Of course I want another home game, but not doing our attendance justice is a definite drawback.

[PaladinFan]

I said "part of me" wishes. Of course I want another home game, but not doing our attendance justice is a definite drawback.

To me, that is the biggest concern for App going forward looking at FBS football. Attendance has been great. They are packing them in. Still, it was not that long ago when App was drawing maybe 10-13k fewer per game than they currently draw (less than 10 years ago). They get a home playoff game, and the attendance dives off a cliff for the game.

It does suggest, to me, a "laissez le bon temps rouler" effect. Folks show up when the team's really good and there's no reason to be elsewhere. It's hard to know whether those attendance numbers will survive what will undoubtedly be several down seasons if making the transition.

There is a saturation point on attendance. App State is only so big, and will draw only so many people before they start bumping into the big boys in North Carolina. Have they reached a critical mass? Who knows. Will they suffer as precipitous decline in attendance the same way they saw a massive spike in attendance? Can't know that either. It does make an interesting consideration going forward when App State's biggest selling point, its energetic fanbase, has shown even as recently as this season that it is still highly temperamental.

[asumike83]

To me, that is the biggest concern for App going forward looking at FBS football. Attendance has been great. They are packing them in. Still, it was not that long ago when App was drawing maybe 10-13k fewer per game than they currently draw (less than 10 years ago). They get a home playoff game, and the attendance dives off a cliff for the game.

It does suggest, to me, a "laissez le bon temps rouler" effect. Folks show up when the team's really good and there's no reason to be elsewhere. It's hard to know whether those attendance numbers will survive what will undoubtedly be several down seasons if making the transition.

There is a saturation point on attendance. App State is only so big, and will draw only so many people before they start bumping into the big boys in North Carolina. Have they reached a critical mass? Who knows. Will they suffer as precipitous decline in attendance the same way they saw a massive spike in attendance? Can't know that either. It does make an interesting consideration going forward when App State's biggest selling point, its energetic fanbase, has shown even as recently as this season that it is still highly temperamental.

Current playoff attendance is really not a very good indicator for regular season attendance expectations if App plays FBS football. The drop in attendance for early round playoff games has always been there and many factors go into it. Short notice to plan travel, holiday season, uncertainty of whether there will be more home games to attend or not, etc. You see the same thing at pretty much every FCS school not located in a sizable metro area that relies on alumni coming from out of town.

Regular season attendance has stayed strong for the past 8 years. The 2005 regular season, before we won any national championships and were coming off a 6-5 year in 2004, we averaged over 23K and have remained in the 26K-29K range during the regular season every year since. How the fans would potentially respond to some losing seasons is something to consider but is unrelated to playoff attendance, IMO.

I think you have to look at postseason to postseason to get a more apples to apples comparison. What we've seen in playoff attendance could be more indicative of how well App fans would potentially travel to a bowl game, although I think the location of the game would be the biggest factor. Since it would be a one-game postseason, it leaves no uncertainty that this is the season's last game, where as there are many FCS fans skip the early rounds in hopes of a NC trip in a few weeks. The bowl schedule is also typically announced close to a month ahead of time. Of course, if the game is in Idaho or Detroit, you are not going to see large traveling group but I could see App bringing a nice crowd to New Orleans or St. Pete.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

The administrators at Ga Southern are discussing changes to our counting method. We should be reporting attendance in the area of 32K average by the 2014 season (will still count bodies for 2013).

[asumike83]

The administrators at Ga Southern are discussing changes to our counting method. We should be reporting attendance in the area of 32K average by the 2014 season (will still count bodies for 2013).

Glad to see them finish what they started when they listed the capacity of Paulson Stadium as 18,000.

[Apphole]

The administrators at Ga Southern are discussing changes to our counting method. We should be reporting attendance in the area of 32K average by the 2014 season (will still count bodies for 2013).

If there were 32 k at the App/GaSo game this past year, then App State averages 40k+

[The Eagle's Cliff]

If there were 32 k at the App/GaSo game this past year, then App State averages 40k+

I didn't say we actually have that many bodies. I'm talking about changing how we count so we can increase our attendance by 50% in one year and maintain it like other schools have done. 20K Students (Tickets Sold) plus 12K Fans/Alumni (Tickets Sold) equals 32K and is an acceptable method of counting according to the NCAA, but this shouldn't be news to an App St. fan.