Why can't we consistently fill AZ Stadium?

[Harvey Specter]

I am not an average fan and I sent my tickets back to GB and told him I wouldn't support such a shitty product.

I have zero blame for any fan, student or otherwise. No reason to support the complete distruction of our football program by RR. Not showing up is how changes are made.

That always a fan excuse of not showing up to game.

No... it is the way a fan who supports the program expresses his satisfaction (or lack thereof) with it, and it is the ONLY way to express it in a way that is heard and heeded. That fan cares more about the program than a mercenary coach who is only here because he is being paid a small fortune to be.

This notion that is a fan's responsibility to spend time and money supporting a team that is abysmal is absurd. This is not a charity - it is a business. Supporting during rebuilding is one thing... but an established regime does not deserve the same benefit of the doubt.

How about if RR makes a statement by surrendering $500K of his pay for this past season because the job he did was not deserving of the pay he received? It will never happen, but it might buy him some good will and understanding.

It cuts both ways... if a coach gets to keep his money when things are bad, then a disenchanted fan has that same option.

[ASUHATER!]

I am not an average fan and I sent my tickets back to GB and told him I wouldn't support such a shitty product.

I have zero blame for any fan, student or otherwise. No reason to support the complete distruction of our football program by RR. Not showing up is how changes are made.

That always a fan excuse of not showing up to game.

No... it is the way a fan who supports the program expresses his satisfaction (or lack thereof) with it, and it is the ONLY way to express it in a way that is heard and heeded. That fan cares more about the program than a mercenary coach who is only here because he is being paid a small fortune to be.

This notion that is a fan's responsibility to spend time and money supporting a team that is abysmal is absurd. This is not a charity - it is a business. Supporting during rebuilding is one thing... but an established regime does not deserve the same benefit of the doubt.

How about if RR makes a statement by surrendering $500K of his pay for this past season because the job he did was not deserving of the pay he received? It will never happen, but it might buy him some good will and understanding.

It cuts both ways... if a coach gets to keep his money when things are bad, then a disenchanted fan has that same option.

Exactly. I don't get the people saying you have to support it and buy tickets no matter what. If your favorite restaurant started serving you nothing but expired or awful food...would the same fans demand you keep going and buying food from them?

[Spaceman Spiff]

That's a pretty good picture of this season.

[VegasCatFan]

Basketball good= reason for fans to show

Football bad = why support a program where the fames are over at half. Send a statement with your absence.

How about those boo's from the 10000 fans at halftime for RR. Breathtaking wasn't it

Was the refs not RR

To me it seemed like the boos were at first towards the team and RR as they left the field and then about 15-20 seconds later the refs left in the other direction and the booing started all over again and louder.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Maybe they were saying Boo-urns.

[cats101]

Arizona Athletics having a Black Friday sale for the Assu game in the Zona Zoo section. Get them while they're hot! Plenty of seats to choose from.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Arizona Athletics having a Black Friday sale for the Assu game in the Zona Zoo section. Get them while they're hot! Plenty of seats to choose from.

Black Friday sounds scarily appropriate.

[Merkin]

Be part of history seeing the worst football team in University of Arizona history.

Even Ben Lindsey's basketball team won one conference game.

[BibbysTowelDude]

It would take about 500 dollars and food/bev for me to go to that ASSU game. Otherwise, I'm chillin' with the family and doing anything other than watching that game.

[Gilbertcat]

Good news, Arizona will be playing as well, in Vegas!

[scumdevils86]

Yea it would take free tix and free beer/dinner/parking for me to consider going to this game. Really sad the seasoned ended up as complete shit because I had planned on going to more games.

[Carcassdragger]

We've been planning for months on going to Tucson for the weekend.

We cancelled our hotel reservations. I refuse to spend lots of dough to watch this debacle.

[catgrad97]

From the Wildcat side of the rivalry, this will probably be the worst rivalry game experience in history.

Even during Mackovic's time, you could always count on the teams to be competitive for ASU. This year will be the answer that fills in the blank, "If you want that first Pac-12 South title at Arizona, you have to be prepared to accept ____________________________."

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm worried more ASU fans than Arizona fans attend.

[ASUHATER!]

I'm worried more ASU fans than Arizona fans attend.

nah that still will never happen. they are nearly as crushed and apathetic as we are. their last home game was 1/3 empty at kickoff. they've lost 6 of their last 7 and 5 in a row. there will probably be like 35000 arizona fans and 5-10 thousand asu fans.

[Merkin]

[ASUHATER!]

Ohio State sold over a million dollars in beer too. while our stadium isn't nearly the size of those places, we could probably easily sell $500,000 worth of beer a year at our stadium and it would increase attendance.

[gronk4heisman]

And it would make the results on the field more bearable.

[UAEebs86]

And it would make the results on the field more bearable.

This season hard liquor would have been a requirement.

[scumdevils86]

free handle of wolfschmidt for everyone of legal age entering the stadium with a paid ticket

[Jefe]

Over $500K a game in alcohol sales. $7 drink put them at 73K drinks per game. Damn.

How many arrests?

Also:

1. Miller Lite: 98,535 beers sold
2. Coors Light: 95,096 beers sold
3. Bud Light: 34,257 beers sold
4. Shiner Bock: 1,411 beers sold
5. Lone Star: 952 beers sold
6. Michelob Ultra: 741 beers sold
7. Budweiser: 89 beers sold

$3.1mil sold, netted about $1.3 million for the athletic department

Poor Bud

http://www.cbssports.com/college-footba ... es-spiked/" target="_blank

[Merkin]

1. Miller Lite: 98,535 beers sold
2. Coors Light: 95,096 beers sold
3. Bud Light: 34,257 beers sold
4. Shiner Bock: 1,411 beers sold
5. Lone Star: 952 beers sold
6. Michelob Ultra: 741 beers sold
7. Budweiser: 89 beers sold


Never understood the appeal of light beer. You pay the same price as a regular beer but get taste and alcohol, and more water?

Of course that is a generational thing. When lite beer first came out, it was for chicks watching their weight and alcohol intake. So "real men" did not drink it, unlike now.

[ASUHATER!]

1. Miller Lite: 98,535 beers sold
2. Coors Light: 95,096 beers sold
3. Bud Light: 34,257 beers sold
4. Shiner Bock: 1,411 beers sold
5. Lone Star: 952 beers sold
6. Michelob Ultra: 741 beers sold
7. Budweiser: 89 beers sold


Never understood the appeal of light beer. You pay the same price as a regular beer but get taste and alcohol, and more water?

Of course that is a generational thing. When lite beer first came out, it was for chicks watching their weight and alcohol intake. So "real men" did not drink it, unlike now.

real men don't drink any of the beers on that list (eh i can kinda sorta give a pass to shiner bock...but the rest is beer for women and people who don't like the taste of actual beer).

[azcat49]

Slap some tits on me and call me a women. I drink 2 3 and 6 on that list. It's like water

[ASUHATER!]

Slap some tits on me and call me a wimen. I drink 2 3 and 6 on that list. It's like water

then drink water haha. it sure isn't beer.

[azcat49]

Can't argue with that. I will drink some of the apple beers and throw a shot of cinnamon jack in it but that is about the max on me tasting my beer. Heck, Miller has to much taste for me

[ASUHATER!]

gotta expand your horizons and try some local craft brews.

[Merkin]

Don't even drink beer anymore.

$128,321 in wine

That would be me.

[azcat49]

Don't even drink beer anymore.

$128,321 in wine

That would be me.

What? Seriously? That's either a lot of wine or very expensive bottles. Can you really tell the difference?

Just give me a vodka drink, mixed or with just rocks and I am very happy

[azcat49]

gotta expand your horizons and try some local craft brews.

If you can find me a nice craft beer with an IBU of less then 10 then I will give it a try and let you know how it went.

Most are just to bitter for me.

[ASUHATER!]

gotta expand your horizons and try some local craft brews.

If you can find me a nice craft beer with an IBU of less then 10 then I will give it a try and let you know how it went.

Most are just to bitter for me.

There's dozens of good craft pilsners or blonde ales out there if you don't feel adventurous. Same general style as the crappy water beer but not crappy or watery. Actually tastes like beer and not corn water.

[azgreg]

You're not going to get much quality craft beer at a sports venue while the large brewing companies pay big bucks for rights.

[MrMeow]

gotta expand your horizons and try some local craft brews.

If you can find me a nice craft beer with an IBU of less then 10 then I will give it a try and let you know how it went.

Most are just to bitter for me.

If you mean ABV there's a lot of good ones at about 5.5 or 6.

[Jefe]

You're not going to get much quality craft beer at a sports venue while the large brewing companies pay big bucks for rights.

I imagine Barrio Brewery has been in touch with Byrne to get them into the stadiums

[Timmy1973]

You're not going to get much quality craft beer at a sports venue while the large brewing companies pay big bucks for rights.

I imagine Barrio Brewery has been in touch with Byrne to get them into the stadiums

Hensley (John McCain's Wife's fortune) is the Distributor for Barrio and Anheuser-Busch in Tucson. You'll probably end up with more Best Damn Rootbeer handles than Barrio products with Hensley calling the shots.

[TucsonClip]

You're not going to get much quality craft beer at a sports venue while the large brewing companies pay big bucks for rights.

Unless you live in San Diego. Ahh... lyfe.

[ASUHATER!]

You're not going to get much quality craft beer at a sports venue while the large brewing companies pay big bucks for rights.

Unless you live in San Diego. Ahh... lyfe.

It shouldn't be that big of a problem in this day and age. Tucson itself is a haven for craft beer. There's a good 12-15 breweries in town (6-7 downtown or by campus alone) plus many bottle shops and craft beer bars. Between places like Barrio, Borderlands, 1912, Pueblo Vida, Crooked Tooth and others we could definitely get craft beer at the stadium.

[PHXCATS]

Over $500K a game in alcohol sales. $7 drink put them at 73K drinks per game. Damn.

How many arrests?

Also:

1. Miller Lite: 98,535 beers sold
2. Coors Light: 95,096 beers sold
3. Bud Light: 34,257 beers sold
4. Shiner Bock: 1,411 beers sold
5. Lone Star: 952 beers sold
6. Michelob Ultra: 741 beers sold
7. Budweiser: 89 beers sold

$3.1mil sold, netted about $1.3 million for the athletic department

Poor Bud

http://www.cbssports.com/college-footba ... es-spiked/" target="_blank

That is less than 3 beers sold for every 4 people in attendance. I bet the NFL sells at least twice that amount.

[PHXCATS]

the team would really benefit from the zoo having some beers in the game. Also would likely be safer for them.

I hope ASSU hater realizes the economics behind this. The distribution companies of InBev (Busch) and SAB (Miller Coors) can make it beneficial for AZ Stadium to only sell their brands. Not sure who the distributors are for the craft beers he wants but the breweries likely couldn't afford to make them exclusive to the stadium separate or together against the big guys.

[UALoco]

It's everyone's right to vote with their time and money to show they aren't happy with the direction of the team...So do those folks all show up day 1 if a new coach is brought in? Let's say a true fan favorite with creds and high upside...let's even say we don't over pay. Doubt it, stadium would not be full. Do folks wait and see until we are a consistent winner? Problem with that is that everyone has a different definition of consistent...Will they wait till the team strings together a few wins, wait for a strong P12 conference season, wait for a couple of strong seasons? Even then we'll be challenged to fill the stadium due to apathy, big screen tv's, no alcohol at the stadium, great Tucson weather, bad Tucson weather, bad A/V in stadium, gross bathrooms, bad parking expensive tix...Whatever, there will always be a lame excuse and fair weather fans justifying decision...That is just the way is is.

This whole, they have to win for me to support them thing, is a zero sum game. Good coaches don't want to coach for a school that has an apathetic fan base. And good players don't want to play for that school.

I am glad there are a few of us dopes that choose to support the football program when things aren't going well. Without us there is ZERO hope of Arizona to ever have a good program. The showing at the ASU game was really good, it was a positive note at the end of a shitty year..but that is better than the alternative.

[PHXCATS]

Yep. Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things. Good coaches good players and good bowls. Attendance factors in bowl selection.

[ASUHATER!]

It's everyone's right to vote with their time and money to show they aren't happy with the direction of the team...So do those folks all show up day 1 if a new coach is brought in? Let's say a true fan favorite with creds and high upside...let's even say we don't over pay. Doubt it, stadium would not be full. Do folks wait and see until we are a consistent winner? Problem with that is that everyone has a different definition of consistent...Will they wait till the team strings together a few wins, wait for a strong P12 conference season, wait for a couple of strong seasons? Even then we'll be challenged to fill the stadium due to apathy, big screen tv's, no alcohol at the stadium, great Tucson weather, bad Tucson weather, bad A/V in stadium, gross bathrooms, bad parking expensive tix...Whatever, there will always be a lame excuse and fair weather fans justifying decision...That is just the way is is.

This whole, they have to win for me to support them thing, is a zero sum game. Good coaches don't want to coach for a school that has an apathetic fan base. And good players don't want to play for that school.

I am glad there are a few of us dopes that choose to support the football program when things aren't going well. Without us there is ZERO hope of Arizona to ever have a good program. The showing at the ASU game was really good, it was a positive note at the end of a shitty year..but that is better than the alternative.

for me it just comes to winning. i don't have the money for season tickets or to go to a lot of games. but when i do decide to go, i judge it on if we are a good team or not. if we suck..i'm not going to spend money on it and i'll just watch at home.

[Harvey Specter]

It's everyone's right to vote with their time and money to show they aren't happy with the direction of the team...So do those folks all show up day 1 if a new coach is brought in? Let's say a true fan favorite with creds and high upside...let's even say we don't over pay. Doubt it, stadium would not be full. Do folks wait and see until we are a consistent winner? Problem with that is that everyone has a different definition of consistent...Will they wait till the team strings together a few wins, wait for a strong P12 conference season, wait for a couple of strong seasons? Even then we'll be challenged to fill the stadium due to apathy, big screen tv's, no alcohol at the stadium, great Tucson weather, bad Tucson weather, bad A/V in stadium, gross bathrooms, bad parking expensive tix...Whatever, there will always be a lame excuse and fair weather fans justifying decision...That is just the way is is.

This whole, they have to win for me to support them thing, is a zero sum game. Good coaches don't want to coach for a school that has an apathetic fan base. And good players don't want to play for that school.

I am glad there are a few of us dopes that choose to support the football program when things aren't going well. Without us there is ZERO hope of Arizona to ever have a good program. The showing at the ASU game was really good, it was a positive note at the end of a shitty year..but that is better than the alternative.

I think fan support was pretty good under Stoops until his 1.5 year slide leading to his dismissal (people were excited about the hire)... but I cannot find any records. Fan excitement for the RR hire (outside die-hards on this board) was not as high.

I don't think there is a single school in the West where fan support is all that impressive when the program is not good. Other parts of the country - yes, but even there the product impacts the support for the team. In 2015, the PAC-12 ranked 4th in average attendance @ 51,880 per game. SEC 78.6K, B1G 66K, B12 57.3K.

It is the chicken or the egg question. If there is a program outside the Southeast or Midwest where rabid and consistent fan support preceded a winning program - I'd love to know who it is.

For this past season, which was the worst in the PAC era, our average home attendance of 48,288 ranked 5th in the PAC behind USC, UCLA, Washington, & Oregon. Our % occupancy was 7th behind Oregon, Utah, WSU, CU, and UW, and (barely) behind Stanford.

In 2015 we were 5th in attendance (51,393) behind UCLA, USC, UW, & Oregon... and 4th in % occupancy (behind only Oregon, Utah, & Stanford). In 2009, we averaged 52,500 per home game... not sure where that ranked.

Is our fan support outstanding? No. But relative to where our team has typically been - it is certainly more than respectable vis-a-vis our conference peers.

I'd love to know fan attendance figures for UA basketball the season before Lute was hired.

[Merkin]

Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things

Put a good product on the field and they will come.

RichRod has the personality to be a very popular coach. Too bad he is such a poor recruiter and just an average coach.

[Harvey Specter]

Yep. Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things. Good coaches good players and good bowls. Attendance factors in bowl selection.

1. When have we had to attend a lower bowl game than our record qualified us for?

2. If our conference recruiting rankings mirrored our attendance figures, we'd have considerably better talent in the program. If we attracted better players, we would win more, have better attendance, go to better bowl games...

We'll never attract a marquee coach, nor will 2/3 of the teams in the PAC. We have to hire a damn good one; think Harbaugh would have come here before he went to Stanford? I do... and I bet we would be in a very different position.

A coaching regime is like a product cycle; you better take advantage of the "buzz" around the program when it is new to build and maintain momentum - especially in recruiting - otherwise it is opportunity lost. We had a chance with the facilities investment and our miraculous 2014 season, but did not take advantage of it. Now we are like stale bread, and we have "immediate playing time coming off of a 3-9 season" to sell; Not compelling.

Byrne took a calculated risk in hiring RR that looked good early but does not now. You have to take big swings and sometime you miss - we did. There was a reason Tulane was the only school courting RR when we hired him - most of the world did not read 3 & Out.

[Harvey Specter]

Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things

Put a good product on the field and they will come.

RichRod has the personality to be a very popular coach. Too bad he is such a poor recruiter and just an average coach.

I completely agree, and fail to understand how he is not considerably more successful on the recruiting trail as a result of it.

He had many advantages over Stoops - an engaging personalty, BCS bowl game wins, and new facilities (which was always the reason we could not compete before) - and has taken a step back in recruiting.

Now fan attendance is the reason? Sorry - I just do not see it.

[MrMeow]

Yep. Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things. Good coaches good players and good bowls. Attendance factors in bowl selection.

1. When have we had to attend a lower bowl game than our record qualified us for?

2. If our conference recruiting rankings mirrored our attendance figures, we'd have considerably better talent in the program. If we attracted better players, we would win more, have better attendance, go to better bowl games...

We'll never attract a marquee coach, nor will 2/3 of the teams in the PAC. We have to hire a damn good one; think Harbaugh would have come here before he went to Stanford? I do... and I bet we would be in a very different position.

A coaching regime is like a product cycle; you better take advantage of the "buzz" around the program when it is new to build and maintain momentum - especially in recruiting - otherwise it is opportunity lost. We had a chance with the facilities investment and our miraculous 2014 season, but did not take advantage of it. Now we are like stale bread, and we have "immediate playing time coming off of a 3-9 season" to sell; Not compelling.

Byrne took a calculated risk in hiring RR that looked good early but does not now. You have to take big swings and sometime you miss - we did. There was a reason Tulane was the only school courting RR when we hired him - most of the world did not read 3 & Out.[/quote


Why?

Tucson is more attractive than Palo Alto?
UA football tradition?
Great facilities (at the time)?

I disagree.

[Harvey Specter]

Yep. Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things. Good coaches good players and good bowls. Attendance factors in bowl selection.

1. When have we had to attend a lower bowl game than our record qualified us for?

2. If our conference recruiting rankings mirrored our attendance figures, we'd have considerably better talent in the program. If we attracted better players, we would win more, have better attendance, go to better bowl games...

We'll never attract a marquee coach, nor will 2/3 of the teams in the PAC. We have to hire a damn good one; think Harbaugh would have come here before he went to Stanford? I do... and I bet we would be in a very different position.

A coaching regime is like a product cycle; you better take advantage of the "buzz" around the program when it is new to build and maintain momentum - especially in recruiting - otherwise it is opportunity lost. We had a chance with the facilities investment and our miraculous 2014 season, but did not take advantage of it. Now we are like stale bread, and we have "immediate playing time coming off of a 3-9 season" to sell; Not compelling.

Byrne took a calculated risk in hiring RR that looked good early but does not now. You have to take big swings and sometime you miss - we did. There was a reason Tulane was the only school courting RR when we hired him - most of the world did not read 3 & Out.[/quote


Why?

Tucson is more attractive than Palo Alto?
UA football tradition?
Great facilities (at the time)?

I disagree.

I should clarify that comment... I am not certain he would have selected an offer from UA over an offer from Stanford if both were on the table at the same time... although I am not sure he would not have, either... we might have paid him more. But as a coach at USD dying for a chance to coach in D1, had timing worked out & we went after him - he would have found the UA job very attractive.

He is an extreme example, and we were not looking for a coach when he was aat USD... but if we can get a guy that has proven he can coach with fire in his belly and an ability to recruit (they are hard to find but out there) - that is the only thing that will change our fortunes.

The talk track surrounding Stanford before he went there was that their academic requirements made it impossible to get enough talent to field a competitive roster... I am not sure how their facilities were.... and fan support typically sucked. If it was that attractive, they would not have hired a D2 coach.

He is responsible for changing the perception of Stanford FB, and Shaw has done a good job carrying the torch.

Some of it is certainly luck... we need some.

[MrMeow]

Yep. Have to be consistent with good fan support if you want good things. Good coaches good players and good bowls. Attendance factors in bowl selection.

1. When have we had to attend a lower bowl game than our record qualified us for?

2. If our conference recruiting rankings mirrored our attendance figures, we'd have considerably better talent in the program. If we attracted better players, we would win more, have better attendance, go to better bowl games...

We'll never attract a marquee coach, nor will 2/3 of the teams in the PAC. We have to hire a damn good one; think Harbaugh would have come here before he went to Stanford? I do... and I bet we would be in a very different position.



A coaching regime is like a product cycle; you better take advantage of the "buzz" around the program when it is new to build and maintain momentum - especially in recruiting - otherwise it is opportunity lost. We had a chance with the facilities investment and our miraculous 2014 season, but did not take advantage of it. Now we are like stale bread, and we have "immediate playing time coming off of a 3-9 season" to sell; Not compelling.

Byrne took a calculated risk in hiring RR that looked good early but does not now. You have to take big swings and sometime you miss - we did. There was a reason Tulane was the only school courting RR when we hired him - most of the world did not read 3 & Out.[/quote


Why?

Tucson is more attractive than Palo Alto?
UA football tradition?
Great facilities (at the time)?

I disagree.

I should clarify that comment... I am not certain he would have selected an offer from UA over an offer from Stanford if both were on the table at the same time... although I am not sure he would not have, either... we might have paid him more. But as a coach at USD dying for a chance to coach in D1, had timing worked out & we went after him - he would have found the UA job very attractive.

He is an extreme example, and we were not looking for a coach when he was aat USD... but if we can get a guy that has proven he can coach with fire in his belly and an ability to recruit (they are hard to find but out there) - that is the only thing that will change our fortunes.

The talk track surrounding Stanford before he went there was that their academic requirements made it impossible to get enough talent to field a competitive roster... I am not sure how their facilities were.... and fan support typically sucked. If it was that attractive, they would not have hired a D2 coach.

He is responsible for changing the perception of Stanford FB, and Shaw has done a good job carrying the torch.

Some of it is certainly luck... we need some.

Okay, and although Harbaugh had a couple of DUIs while here in town (I'm in San Diego), with 20/20 hindsight we can see Stanford was smart to take him. He didn't stay long, but he doesn't stay anywhere long, and at least he got things started for them. Actually, I think Stanford had some foresight. If I am not mistaken, Harbaugh was undefeated at USD, where no football scholarships are given. As to the possibility of UA pursuing him, remember, coaching hires was not Smilin' Jim Livengood's (ahem) strength, and neither was a loose checkbook. As to luck, we need it more than ever now. Thanks, Rich.

[UALoco]

Now fan attendance is the reason? Sorry - I just do not see it.

I am not trying to blame attendance for ALL of the team's woes. Some blame goes to UA just not being a destination school(ie Larry Smith departure), some goes to Tucson which is not located near a lot of football talent, some goes to previous AD's who didn't have foresight to invest in the program when it would have been more cost effective, some blame goes to Bryne picking RR over some other options out there (even though picking a HC is really a crapshoot), some goes to RR for a lot of things (early loyalty, stubbornness with his schemes, poor scouting, personnel development, assistant coaching hires, some in-game coaching decisions, etc), and yes....some goes to an apathetic fan base. What is the only thing in our collective control: program support. We really can't do much else to help this program overcome all the odds stacked against it. Money and butts in the seats. Watching on TV, abstaining, and complaining don't really help(unless you are a big time donor).

Just my two cents.