Bear Down Wildcats

GB is on 1290 right now talking about a new tradition starting Saturday.

From the coin flip to the opening kickoff, the fans are going to sway and chant Zona, Zona, Zona

What about Wilbur though? Is he doing alright? He seemed....different

Bring back Rufus

God help us. Hopefully this is a one game "tradition" First of all, it's Arizona, not Zona (as in not Frisco, not ever). If this is an example of GB's creativity he needs to stick to his day job, which is raising money.

When? At the end of the game? During halftime

these guys actually came up with the idea over some wings and beer last week!

At the Arcadia Tavern?

No such thing as "New" tradition.

MrMeow wrote:God help us. Hopefully this is a one game "tradition" First of all, it's Arizona, not Zona (as in not Frisco, not ever). If this is an example of GB's creativity he needs to stick to his day job, which is raising money.

This 100 times!

Not a fan of the key rattling, but I much prefer it over Zona Zona Zona.

I don't get the zona thing. Back in my day the only people that said that were random non Arizona fans. Now it seems like anyone involved with the school now says it.

Um traditions start organically, not handed down from the AD.

War Eagle is a tradition...because something cool happened that made it so. Chanting and swaying Zona Zona Zona is just, i dunno, kinda lame. What Mr.Meow and Merkin said.

The only thing 'Zona is good for is annoying anally retentive Buffs fans and alluding to 'Rado.

This was suppose happen 2 weeks ago and it didn't. No one is doing this late "tradition"

We should start a tradition of using this song a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMUDVMiITOU

Tennessee uses it on every third down, and since their tradition is only 2 games old, we can take it. If there's a way to incorporate the video, so much the better, because that is clearly the best music video of 2014.

I don't mind it. What kind of traditions do we have for football anyway other than rattling keys. When the Wildcat Walk started people weren't too keen on that, and it seems likes it's doing ok now. I'm all for anything that might create some atmosphere at the games, or leading up to the game.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:We should start a tradition of using this song a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMUDVMiITOU

Tennessee uses it on every third down, and since their tradition is only 2 games old, we can take it. If there's a way to incorporate the video, so much the better, because that is clearly the best music video of 2014.

Thank you for that

I appreciate GB using different ideas to improve the game day experience and fan interaction.

Sage&Silver wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:We should start a tradition of using this song a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMUDVMiITOU

Tennessee uses it on every third down, and since their tradition is only 2 games old, we can take it. If there's a way to incorporate the video, so much the better, because that is clearly the best music video of 2014.

Thank you for that

The part where he repetitively smashes things with his crotch is where it really jumps to the Academy Award level. I would have said Nobel, but there isn't much peace in there.

Seriously, though, stuff that gets the crowd involved and is fun is good. It doesn't have to be a work of art.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Sage&Silver wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:We should start a tradition of using this song a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMUDVMiITOU

Tennessee uses it on every third down, and since their tradition is only 2 games old, we can take it. If there's a way to incorporate the video, so much the better, because that is clearly the best music video of 2014.

Thank you for that

The part where he repetitively smashes things with his crotch is where it really jumps to the Academy Award level. I would have said Nobel, but there isn't much peace in there.

Seriously, though, stuff that gets the crowd involved and is fun is good. It doesn't have to be a work of art.

I have no problem with the swaying as it would be a cool visual (but only in sections that are very full). My issue with it though is changing Zona. I, like some others here, loathe that term. What would be wrong with 'A-RI-ZO-NA'....'A-RI-ZO-NA'???

scumdevils86 wrote:these guys actually came up with the idea over some wings and beer last week!

Haha, which posters are these?

I must have missed some threads.

I mean if it was eventually used stadium wide couple of years down the line, might be pretty cool.

azcat34 wrote:

scumdevils86 wrote:these guys actually came up with the idea over some wings and beer last week!

Haha, which posters are these?

I must have missed some threads.

Machina is the guy in the yellow.

Salty wrote:

azcat34 wrote:

scumdevils86 wrote:these guys actually came up with the idea over some wings and beer last week!

Haha, which posters are these?

I must have missed some threads.

Machina is the guy in the yellow.

ASU colors. Disgusting.

Boing. Boing. Pass!

Jason Nimrichter (now at allsportstucson.com) with a long piece on the stadium atmosphere.

I could honestly have as much fun watching in my living room, on my couch with my 50-inch HDTV and home theater system. I could grill some burgers and steaks and perhaps even take a quick dip in the pool at halftime.

To me this quote is the crux of the issue. The positives have to way out weigh the negatives to keep drawing people to games. It could be start time, parking, music, or quality of play on the field, but if people find too many negatives they will stay home and watch the game on TV. Big screen, HD TVs have made the at home experience so great the athletic department has to make the game day experience better every year or they will lose ticket buyers.

Finally, and sort of on the subject, if the PAC 12 wants to start a game after 7 they should be required to pay the team extra money to offset the lost ticket revenue.

ANGCatFan wrote:
Finally, and sort of on the subject, if the PAC 12 wants to start a game after 7 they should be required to pay the team extra money to offset the lost ticket revenue.

I like this idea. Here's another one: How about allowing the fans who do stay to move down to the lower bowl/better seats? Would look better on TV and generate more noise.

ANGCatFan wrote:Jason Nimrichter (now at allsportstucson.com) with a long piece on the stadium atmosphere.

I could honestly have as much fun watching in my living room, on my couch with my 50-inch HDTV and home theater system. I could grill some burgers and steaks and perhaps even take a quick dip in the pool at halftime.

To me this quote is the crux of the issue. The positives have to way out weigh the negatives to keep drawing people to games. It could be start time, parking, music, or quality of play on the field, but if people find too many negatives they will stay home and watch the game on TV. Big screen, HD TVs have made the at home experience so great the athletic department has to make the game day experience better every year or they will lose ticket buyers.

Finally, and sort of on the subject, if the PAC 12 wants to start a game after 7 they should be required to pay the team extra money to offset the lost ticket revenue.

Ok, I'm going get on a soap box here. If you don't like rants...please move along, nothing to see here.

Lack of attendance is a trend that we are seeing across all sports, even Saban has acknowledge this trend @ Alabama. Of course it is more convenient to watch the game in the comfort of your own home on your HD. You get all the replays you want, you can FFWD through the commercials, and you can watch the game in your most comfortable sweats. But if you do that, and if enough of your team's fans do that, expect the following:
- The overall atmosphere of the game will suffer. You see that now with the Athletic Department trying to over compensate with announcers, music, videos, halftime shows, etc. It will turn into the NBA...unwatchable.
- Recruiting will suffer. Recruits want to be part of something bigger than themselves, something special. It is one reason why the rich get richer in college football and it is tough for the lesser programs to achieve.
- Program Success will suffer. Bad atmosphere + bad recruits = bad team...even with the best coaches....and the Arizona Football program doesn't have enough wiggle room to withstand even the smallest drop in attendance.

The folks who go to the game know that it is more convenient to sit at home and watch. I don't do that 2 hour drive to the stadium for my health. We just understand the importance of of the 12th man in the bigger picture of a successful program. You can't blame the Athletic department for a bad atmosphere. You have to look at yourself and your circle of friends and figure out how to get their asses to the game.

I know, I know...you have to win to get the crowds. Well, the team is undefeated. We won two bowls and we are in the hunt for the Pac12 South this year. If the Cal game isn't a sell-out, it will signal that our fan-base doesn't get it.

Something posted on FaceBook.

A8D8

UALoco wrote:

ANGCatFan wrote:Jason Nimrichter (now at allsportstucson.com) with a long piece on the stadium atmosphere.

I could honestly have as much fun watching in my living room, on my couch with my 50-inch HDTV and home theater system. I could grill some burgers and steaks and perhaps even take a quick dip in the pool at halftime.

To me this quote is the crux of the issue. The positives have to way out weigh the negatives to keep drawing people to games. It could be start time, parking, music, or quality of play on the field, but if people find too many negatives they will stay home and watch the game on TV. Big screen, HD TVs have made the at home experience so great the athletic department has to make the game day experience better every year or they will lose ticket buyers.

Finally, and sort of on the subject, if the PAC 12 wants to start a game after 7 they should be required to pay the team extra money to offset the lost ticket revenue.

Ok, I'm going get on a soap box here. If you don't like rants...please move along, nothing to see here.

Lack of attendance is a trend that we are seeing across all sports, even Saban has acknowledge this trend @ Alabama. Of course it is more convenient to watch the game in the comfort of your own home on your HD. You get all the replays you want, you can FFWD through the commercials, and you can watch the game in your most comfortable sweats. But if you do that, and if enough of your team's fans do that, expect the following:
- The overall atmosphere of the game will suffer. You see that now with the Athletic Department trying to over compensate with announcers, music, videos, halftime shows, etc. It will turn into the NBA...unwatchable.
- Recruiting will suffer. Recruits want to be part of something bigger than themselves, something special. It is one reason why the rich get richer in college football and it is tough for the lesser programs to achieve.
- Program Success will suffer. Bad atmosphere + bad recruits = bad team...even with the best coaches....and the Arizona Football program doesn't have enough wiggle room to withstand even the smallest drop in attendance.

The folks who go to the game know that it is more convenient to sit at home and watch. I don't do that 2 hour drive to the stadium for my health. We just understand the importance of of the 12th man in the bigger picture of a successful program. You can't blame the Athletic department for a bad atmosphere. You have to look at yourself and your circle of friends and figure out how to get their asses to the game.

I know, I know...you have to win to get the crowds. Well, the team is undefeated. We won two bowls and we are in the hunt for the Pac12 South this year. If the Cal game isn't a sell-out, it will signal that our fan-base doesn't get it.

All these people sitting at home will wonder why we couldn't keep Rich Rod. We live in a metro area of over 1mil people, and we can't fill a 56k stadium? That's pretty friggin sad. People need to stop making excuses and come out and support these kids and coaches before we lose what we have here.

Heaven help us if it's raining on Saturday, we would be lucky to get 40k.

That was a very interesting article. I liked the part about the alarm clock radio sounding better than no bass.

Time to start selling beer

When you lose to your rival by 30-something points, that can piss people off.

8 PM start time against a boring opponent? Who wants to stay up and watch that? Especially if you've got kids...

If Arizona can have a meaningful, 10-win season, we'll start to see a change. But these 8 win seasons, full of disappointing loses and losing records in conference play, aren't inspiring to watch.

ANGCatFan wrote:Jason Nimrichter (now at allsportstucson.com) with a long piece on the stadium atmosphere.

I could honestly have as much fun watching in my living room, on my couch with my 50-inch HDTV and home theater system. I could grill some burgers and steaks and perhaps even take a quick dip in the pool at halftime.

To me this quote is the crux of the issue. The positives have to way out weigh the negatives to keep drawing people to games. It could be start time, parking, music, or quality of play on the field, but if people find too many negatives they will stay home and watch the game on TV. Big screen, HD TVs have made the at home experience so great the athletic department has to make the game day experience better every year or they will lose ticket buyers.

Finally, and sort of on the subject, if the PAC 12 wants to start a game after 7 they should be required to pay the team extra money to offset the lost ticket revenue.

Incessant announcements blaring over the PA system, especially with shitty speakers, are my No. 1 peeve with attending games. Verbal spam drives me nuts. No mute button to hit.

The noise has been pretty obnoxious recently at the games... Although, I did think that they tuned in down during the Nevada game.

I just want to hear the band and cheer. The "U of A" chant, where the east side shouts "U", South/North sides do "of", and West side does "A", was almost completely drowned out by some song they were playing.

I like the, "And that's another Arizona... First down", thing. But I don't really care for the horn noise on third down.

Time to sell beer at the games.

The obsession with making the stadium casual fan friendly is driving me nuts. Non-stop shitty music playing (although it wasn't nearly as loud on Saturday) and the camera never ceasing to show fans in the crowd is just fucked up in my opinion.

Jesus Christ. Just go to a football game to watch a football game.

Why don't we start a tradition where all of the coeds get naked at the start of each half? I would think that would "raise" attendance.

EastCoastCat wrote:Why don't we start a tradition where all of the coeds get naked at the start of each half? I would think that would "raise" attendance.

Only in west coast schools. Can you imagine a bunch of pasty white chubby girls at the cold climate schools?


Iowa schools excepted.

Salty wrote:The noise has been pretty obnoxious recently at the games... Although, I did think that they tuned in down during the Nevada game.

I just want to hear the band and cheer. The "U of A" chant, where the east side shouts "U", South/North sides do "of", and West side does "A", was almost completely drowned out by some song they were playing.

I like the, "And that's another Arizona... First down", thing. But I don't really care for the horn noise on third down.

Time to sell beer at the games.

First down thing lifted from Wazzu. Been doing that for a long time.

RockyRaccoon wrote:The obsession with making the stadium casual fan friendly is driving me nuts. Non-stop shitty music playing (although it wasn't nearly as loud on Saturday) and the camera never ceasing to show fans in the crowd is just fucked up in my opinion.

Jesus Christ. Just go to a football game to watch a football game.

Agree. Like the NBA with all the music.

Jason Nimrichter wrote:My friend Andrew and I were, at times, the only loud people in our section, even on third down, but we were the most quiet during the part where everyone puts their debit card in the air for $100, identity theft be damned.

Reminds me of all the kids who, during school lunch taste tests, rejected the filet mignon in favor of the McDonald's hamburger. Those fans are so screwed and they don't even understand why.

Jason Nimrichter wrote:It’s quite obvious that a lot of the students who attend these college football games are more concentrated on which bar or frat house they are headed to in the third quarter than what the score of the game is.

Welcome to 1994, Jason. Has it ever been different?

Probably in the 1960s, when the facilities were far more intimate and TV far less prevalent, it was.

But technology is increasingly distancing the fans from just making a day of it at the football game, and it's even happening in Green Bay.

I would be a happy kid in the '80s to just catch a car down, have some pregame lunch at a local joint, check out the planetarium, Louie's Lower Level and other buildings on campus, then go to the game.

Even in the aughts (sp?) just having a great tailgate checking out the female talent would've been enough, as long as I could stay cool when it got too hot.

Are people not satisfied with this? Are they looking for more? The re-connection with fans, friends and alma mater was always enough for me. *shrug*

Repeating my post about atmosphere and attendance from another site.

We upgraded this year to the NEZ corner.That concourse is awesome and gives a whole different feel. When you walk up there you get a nice breeze. It doesn't feel like the bowels of hell like the concessions deep in the stadium. There are also TV screens mounted on the walls. Also up there, the bathrooms have speakers with radio playing.

Hopefully, more of that sort of upgrade throughout the stadium.

This year there are 2 things that have changed that may keep some people at home.

1. No Suntran shuttle. A private company expressed interest in providing the service and may have put a bid in. They would charge riders a lot more and the Athletic dept doesn't think they even have enough buses to do the job, but Suntran is still prohibited from doing it now just because a company expressed interest.

Not much the AD can do about it, but I'm sure there are some people who won't be going to the games anymore because of this.

2. No smoking areas. I know smokers don't get any sympathy, but it's one more reason some folks may choose to stay home and watch on their TV, although last game I saw a couple people ignoring the policy and smoking anyway. Hell, they're outdoors for pete's sake!! I say allow smoking areas.

Old issues:

Dump the no return policy and let people get hand stamps and come back in already. So there will be some drunks. Just deal with it.

Now about the Zoo. Our daughter watches the games at the zoo and she wants to get there 2 hours early to be sure to get in and get a decent seat. Hell after 2 extra hours I would want to leave early too.

Schedule better teams. I know it's a double edged sword, but no one has much interest in watching us play UNLV and NAU

Still the best thing is to just win. It will get much better if we start competing regularly for conference championships.

GB said today at a luncheon I was at that the schedule will be upgraded and there will be an announcement soon.

He said they have inked a home and home with a Big 10 school and of course they have Mississippi St home and home.

He said they want yo have a big 5 conference game packed with a NAU type along with a mountain west type team.

He said he promised RR a few years to rebuild although he thinks both Nevada and UTSA will be in bowls this year

Some of you complainers talking about music and crowd videos and the whole first down thing have clearly never been to an NFL game.

Only thing I take issue with is giving cred to this "zona" bullshit. we are Arizona, not zona, and never will be.

jimson wrote: 2. No smoking areas. I know smokers don't get any sympathy, but it's one more reason some folks may choose to stay home and watch on their TV, although last game I saw a couple people ignoring the policy and smoking anyway. Hell, they're outdoors for pete's sake!! I say allow smoking areas.

I think you would lose more people than you would gain by doing this.

Smokers don't seem to realize that the shit they exhale travels more than the 2 feet around them. Some people do still smoke, obviously, but they're assholes for doing it, and I always hope they'll get kicked out for being assholes.

PieceOfMeat wrote:

jimson wrote: 2. No smoking areas. I know smokers don't get any sympathy, but it's one more reason some folks may choose to stay home and watch on their TV, although last game I saw a couple people ignoring the policy and smoking anyway. Hell, they're outdoors for pete's sake!! I say allow smoking areas.

I think you would lose more people than you would gain by doing this.

Smokers don't seem to realize that the shit they exhale travels more than the 2 feet around them. Some people do still smoke, obviously, but they're assholes for doing it, and I always hope they'll get kicked out for being assholes.

Bullsh!!t They have had smoking areas for years up until this year and it's been fine.

This is not about how much certain assholes hate smokers. You probably affect a fake cough when someone lights up across the street LOL.

It's all about including as many people as possible and outdoor smoking in certain areas is reasonable.

Let's just deal with "Zona". It's nothing new, been hearing it for years. Better than being confused with ASSU. People don't like to repeat 4 syllable names that's why we have "Bama" and "Ole Miss."

PieceOfMeat wrote:

jimson wrote: 2. No smoking areas. I know smokers don't get any sympathy, but it's one more reason some folks may choose to stay home and watch on their TV, although last game I saw a couple people ignoring the policy and smoking anyway. Hell, they're outdoors for pete's sake!! I say allow smoking areas.

I think you would lose more people than you would gain by doing this.

Smokers don't seem to realize that the shit they exhale travels more than the 2 feet around them. Some people do still smoke, obviously, but they're assholes for doing it, and I always hope they'll get kicked out for being assholes.

Works fine at every professional sports venue in the state. U of P has two outside patios and allows it in the ramp area. Nothing gets in. Same with the Chase field and whatever the hell the suns arena will be called now. Just need a place people can walk out and walk back in that's roped off.

Saturday was a grind for sure. I took the kids and they were fading bad late. I promised them if we scored on the "Anu slides early" drive, we could go back to the hotel. They might have been more pissed at Anu than RichRod. But I wasn't about to leave before I knew for sure the game was done, and even then, only because the kids were melting down.

That game seemed to last forever, but was actually one of the fastest I have been to in the last 10 years. I think it only went 3:15 or so. I sometimes wonder if the red vest guy who has to stand on the field to signal TV timeout wears kevlar. I know much of my mental anger is misplaced at him personally.

Nevada attendance was a letdown, though due to the $5 kid/$10 family tickets, there were actually more in the upper deck corners than usual, while the tops of the alumni side dwindled. I know I bought two adult and 6 kid tickets just to make sure the 4 of us had room and the kids could wander a bit...was pretty certain I was not going to be denying anyone access.

How to fix the problem? Ban HDTV. I see the problem everywhere. Even the vaunted SEC is having some attendance issues. Virginia's stadium was half full against UCLA. UCLA's stadium is always half full (if the 56K to 1mil comparison is made, so should the 100K to LAmil, especially with no pro team). ASU took a bite out of their stadium and it was still pathetically empty beyond the student section, and they are ranked. Stanford can't even sell out conference championship-level games. It is tough to sit through a televised game as a regular fan. As a diehard, I will, and enjoy every bit of it. But I also sacrifice my love of college football in general every home game I attend by missing most of the day's action other than following on my phone or catching some of it at tailgating. Hotels never have decent channel packages, so I can't even lounge around my room before heading off to tailgate unless the game I want to see is on a major or ESPN.

But these situations aren't going to get any better. As for the sway? Who cares? If the kids do it and enjoy it and fill the ZONA zoo, they can call us Z'na ,or Z to the A, or Ari, or whatever they like. It is 1000000X better than the key shit, and creates a cool and new visual. Things to bitch about include: 7 Nation Army at basketball games, playing music over the PA instead of the pep band at time outs, and our PA announcer at football sticking to the script and screaming "THHHHHIRRRRD DOOOOWWWWNNNN" late in a game when the opposition is losing and clearly going to go for 4th down if 3rd is not converted. Swaying and chanting the only way our actual student body has heard us referred to by national announcers in their lifetime is not high on my list of things to freak out about.

7 Nation Army at anything is worth bitching about.

jimson wrote:
Bullsh!!t They have had smoking areas for years up until this year and it's been fine.

This is not about how much certain assholes hate smokers. You probably affect a fake cough when someone lights up across the street LOL.

It's all about including as many people as possible and outdoor smoking in certain areas is reasonable.

Why would it be bullshit? P.s., you can type out bad words on this site. In case you haven't noticed, the tide has turned towards the acceptability of ruining other people's lungs and health. The entire campus is smoke free, or at least it is in theory, so why should the stadium be exempt from the same policy that the rest of the university must adhere to? You think it wouldn't be the policy if more people didn't dislike breathing in the shit than people enjoyed spreading cancer?

Typical. If someone is coughing, the smoker thinks it must be fake. Sad, really. Then again, as I said already, asshole smokers don't think their shit affects more than the 2 feet around them. Let me guess, you're one of those people who purposely stands upwind of the only entrance to a store, when you could have just as easily walked the same distance from the door downwind. Yeah, I bet you are.

Oh, and it isn't about "including as many people as possible" as you state, it's about including smoking areas which you want. Just be true to your goal, which is to get your smoking area back. It's ok to say you want something back for selfish reasons.