Why can't we consistently fill AZ Stadium?

[UAEebs86]

We had some pissed off Iowa fans in front of us in the old south endzone bleachers. My son's HS football teammates started getting into it with some of them.

Good times

[Chicat]

Foles was nails. What a fucking gamer. That last drive he orchestrated was a thing of beauty and a sign of things to come in the pros.

Stoops was a goddamn lunatic. He looked he was going to punch someone even up 27-7. It’s no wonder we almost coug’d it.

[TheCatInTheHat]

We had some pissed off Iowa fans in front of us in the old south endzone bleachers. My son's HS football teammates started getting into it with some of them.

Good times

Iowa's got some real a-hole fans. One of them pulled the old "act like a complete jerk, and THEN start recording the reaction to it on your phone" routine. So, when they'd lost, they posted one of those for their "revenge." it made one of our poor middle-aged lady fans look bad when it went viral. Hopefully, by now, people have seen enough of that kind of crap that they've learned not to trust anything until and unless they can see the whole thing in full context.

[TheCatInTheHat]

It'll be interesting to see what the crowd looks like tonight. It's hot, there's still Covid, we're 0-1 with a long losing streak, our expectations this season are low, and nobody's going to get too excited about San Diego St. But, I think they had a fairly decent turnout for BDF last night, they've got the concert on the mall, you've got new players, coaches, and schemes that were competitive against BYU, Fisch hit Greek Row and I think the students are engaged, and there's been a direct appeal to the fans. I doubt we'll hit 50K, but something like 45K would be pretty respectable.

[TheCatInTheHat]

Right before this thread got re-started after a year, there was some commentary about the stadium not being ranked very high in the league for amenities, and I think Hansen or somebody made a similar comment recently. Well, that's probably true. You have to ask yourself exactly how many bells and whistles you need, versus good coaching/recruiting. The one issue I'm aware of is the west side grandstands/bathrooms/concessions. Other than impact on attendance, that doesn't affect the players. I'll repeat something I think I mentioned some time ago. Rather than an unbelievably expensive demo and reno that would cost $150M and give us a 35K capacity stadium for two years, I think there are reasonable alternatives.

The ground level area under the west grandstands should look exactly like the Zona Zoo area on the east side. Enclose it, light it, and do all that stuff. Put a couple of pods in the middle for bathrooms and concessions. For access, put in big industrial lifts in concourses on stilts in the northwest and southwest corners of the stadium. You need to sacrifice some seats in the south end zone and west side for walkways to get to the lifts. Below the walkway on the west side, put in spacious chairback seats in every other row, with counter tops in front of them for Club Level seating. That would probably drop our capacity to about 50K, but the west side would be as desirable as any other part of the stadium, all of the interior stadium space there could be used for any required future growth of Lowell-Stevens type facilities, and I'd bet you could do it for a third of what they're talking about and get it all done between seasons.

[azcat49]

Make it so Cat. Headed down from Phoenix on the cat cruiser and they only needed one bus

[KaibabKat]

If the Wildcats would just win a game every couple of years, or so, they might stand a little better chance of filling the joint up.

[ASUHATER!]

Yeah we had this one game where people were actually wanting to go and line up before the game and fill up the Zona Zoo...but after one half that's already squandered and now next week against NAU we'll be back to a half full stadium if we're lucky. I unfortunately am already going to the UCLA game in October, so we'll see how much of a waste of time that is.

[Postmaster]

USC losing worse than us to Stanford

[Carcassdragger]

As to the question posed by the title of the thread:

Because we are a pathetic program.

[AV8RCAT]

The fan experience was shitty. Unannounced metal detectors, too few to get people through. Still lines at kick off.
Long lines to get a wrist band to get in a long line for a beer.
All to see a team fail in every facet of the game.
So much for the fan engagement.
Momentum destroyed. Big setback to lose badly at home to a non p5
Morgue next week, have no desire to even go through all the bs to use my NAU tix.
I really thought this team was better than they looked last year. Apparently not much.

[ChooChooCat]

As to the question posed by the title of the thread:

Because we are a pathetic program.

Pathetic Athletic Department.

[Chicat]

I jinxed us by bumping this thread. That’s my bad guys.

[Merkin]

As to the question posed by the title of the thread:

Because we are a pathetic program.

Pathetic Athletic Department.

and campus leadership

[Longhorned]

As to the question posed by the title of the thread:

Because we are a pathetic program.

Pathetic Athletic Department.

I've heard some local sports journalists saying we've tipped toward being a lot closer to being a UNM than a USC. It was different before the mishandling of Rich Rod and Miller. We can't tip back until we change who's at the top.

[UAEebs86]

Any rumors on Robbins getting an extension or will we get a new Prez in a couple years?

[TheCatInTheHat]

The fan experience was shitty. Unannounced metal detectors, too few to get people through. Still lines at kick off.
Long lines to get a wrist band to get in a long line for a beer.
All to see a team fail in every facet of the game.
So much for the fan engagement.
Momentum destroyed. Big setback to lose badly at home to a non p5
Morgue next week, have no desire to even go through all the bs to use my NAU tix.
I really thought this team was better than they looked last year. Apparently not much.

Agree with all. Regarding the metal detectors: yeah, you need that at a major sporting event, and UArizona has lagged behind most of their peers for that. But what an absolute screw-up. I left Davis to go to the game at about 6:25. There was a line from the gate that followed the sidewalk and literally almost backed up to 6th Street. The other gate at the end of Cherry was backed up God knows how far. We worked our way in there and managed to get a beer and see kickoff. One of the six (not enough) metal detectors either wasn't working, or they were too understaffed to man it, so they shoved a table into it. Then, they just gave up and waved people through. But there had to have been tens of thousands of people still outside in the heat at kickoff, and I'm sure some of them got fed up and just left. If Robbins got some rose-colored glasses report from his sycophantic underlings, I'm sure he'll learn more from e-mails, and certainly their little surveys (unless they cancel them.) Somebody named Suzy Mason is apparently a facilities type, and she just said people "have to be patient" as they work through it. No, actually, customers never need to be patient, and you get exactly one chance to make a first impression. That was a critical moment, and somebody who went cheap on staffing and/or equipment and demonstrated complete ineptitude in appropriate processes, training, and dry runs should pay a significant price. The "be patient" comment is a completely tone-deaf slap in the face on top of all of that. Heeke needs to issue a major mea culpa, with a promise that this will never happen again prior to the NAU game. But it never should have happened in the first place.

[scumdevils86]

Luckily it won't happen again cuz no one will be waiting to get in anymore

[UAEebs86]

Problem solved. Well done AD

[Longhorned]

Just being out and about, it sounds like Tucson is over football this year. With all the long-term losing, the positive energy couldn't run deep enough to sustain a thorough ass beating straight out of the gate at home. I hope the guys on 1290, 1450, and 1490 know enough to stop giving air time to the program. Nobody wants to hear it. We'll listen to our music if it comes to that. Cover NFL and MLB, please. Give us a bridge until basketball season.

[EastCoastCat]

I’m holding judgement until I see the full body of work this year but no doubt last night did not provide any fodder to be optimistic.

Even with a dearth of talent we should not be getting blown out at home by a non P5 team.

[AV8RCAT]

The fan experience was shitty. Unannounced metal detectors, too few to get people through. Still lines at kick off.
Long lines to get a wrist band to get in a long line for a beer.
All to see a team fail in every facet of the game.
So much for the fan engagement.
Momentum destroyed. Big setback to lose badly at home to a non p5
Morgue next week, have no desire to even go through all the bs to use my NAU tix.
I really thought this team was better than they looked last year. Apparently not much.

Agree with all. Regarding the metal detectors: yeah, you need that at a major sporting event, and UArizona has lagged behind most of their peers for that. But what an absolute screw-up. I left Davis to go to the game at about 6:25. There was a line from the gate that followed the sidewalk and literally almost backed up to 6th Street. The other gate at the end of Cherry was backed up God knows how far. We worked our way in there and managed to get a beer and see kickoff. One of the six (not enough) metal detectors either wasn't working, or they were too understaffed to man it, so they shoved a table into it. Then, they just gave up and waved people through. But there had to have been tens of thousands of people still outside in the heat at kickoff, and I'm sure some of them got fed up and just left. If Robbins go gt some rose-colored glasses report from his sycophantic underlings, I'm sure he'll learn more from e-mails, and certainly their little surveys (unless they cancel them.) Somebody named Suzy Mason is apparently a facilities type, and she just said people "have to be patient" as they work through it. No, actually, customers never need to be patient, and you get exactly one chance to make a first impression. That was a critical moment, and somebody who went cheap on staffing and/or equipment and demonstrated complete ineptitude in appropriate processes, training, and dry runs should pay a significant price. The "be patient" comment is a completely tone-deaf slap in the face on top of all of that. Heeke needs to issue a major mea culpa, with a promise that this will never happen again prior to the NAU game. But it never should have happened in the first place.

I haven't given up on Fisch, but to go from an encouraging 1st game to getting corn holed in every phase of the 2nd game wasn't what I expected.
Great job hosting the first party, forgetting to put on pants to greet your guests, knocking over the punch bowl and puking in the coat closet.

[PieceOfMeat]

Even with a dearth of talent we should not be getting blown out at home by a non P5 team.

I'd think with a dearth of talent we should get exactly what we're getting.

[Basketcats]

I jinxed us by bumping this thread. That’s my bad guys.

It worked. My turn now

[Spaceman Spiff]

I haven't given up on Fisch, but to go from an encouraging 1st game to getting corn holed in every phase of the 2nd game wasn't what I expected.
Great job hosting the first party, forgetting to put on pants to greet your guests, knocking over the punch bowl and puking in the coat closet.

Well, if this was your metaphor for SDSU, I can only imagine what it would be for NAU.

Maybe waiting until all your guest arrive, then pulling a gun on them, tying them to chairs and forcing them to listen to Surfin Bird for hours on repeat?

[Jefe]

$13 for a tall Corona. Huh??

[UALoco]

When I created this thread, we were 7-2. We later went on to win the Pac12 South. Don't let today's trash football product distract you from the fact that, even when we are competitive, we can't consistently pack the stadium.

[Merkin]

When I created this thread, we were 7-2. We later went on to win the Pac12 South. Don't let today's trash football product distract you from the fact that, even when we are competitive, we can't consistently pack the stadium.

Heck, when Khalil Tate was the most exciting player in the nation, the Cats couldn't fill the stadium.

[Spaceman Spiff]

When I created this thread, we were 7-2. We later went on to win the Pac12 South. Don't let today's trash football product distract you from the fact that, even when we are competitive, we can't consistently pack the stadium.

A big part of that is it never lasts. We have that one 10 win season, then a bunch of 7-8 win seasons that fade into 2-3 and less wins.

That is my entire adult life that's been happening. Any Arizona fan has seen the routine by now.

[Merkin]

Hey Fisch, take note!

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hey Fisch, take note!

Fisch doesn't want to pay for the amount of alcohol fans need to cope with losing to NAU. He's only making like 3 million per.

[AV8RCAT]

I haven't given up on Fisch, but to go from an encouraging 1st game to getting corn holed in every phase of the 2nd game wasn't what I expected.
Great job hosting the first party, forgetting to put on pants to greet your guests, knocking over the punch bowl and puking in the coat closet.

Well, if this was your metaphor for SDSU, I can only imagine what it would be for NAU.

Maybe waiting until all your guest arrive, then pulling a gun on them, tying them to chairs and forcing them to listen to Surfin Bird for hours on repeat?

Serving shit sandwiches? I had reason to buy into the hype, but we pay NAU 500,000 dollars to be an easy W. I think Fisch deserved to be fired at game end and escorted off campus. We should beat NAU 10 out of 10 times no matter how "bare" the cupboard is. Our walk on's should be better than their scholarship players.
Of course we can't fire Fisch and I'm not advocating it. Might as well stick with him because we cannot get anyone of note to come here now.
i paid 300 bucks to watch a team at least improve, fight hard and play close. I didn't go to the NAU game and now I'm not too excited about going to any of them, because 100% of them are sure losses. How can I enjoy that? game day experience sucks. It's hot and you just sweat, they do stupid shit like deciding on Saturday morning to see if a few metal detectors could be delivered by game time.

At this point, I don't even care if the U drops football and bulldozes the stadium. That might actually be best.

[Jefe]

The entire mall is torn up right now and they are installing massive underground water containers to help with flooding on Cherry. They dug down at least 25 feet last weekend when I drove by.

https://uaatwork.arizona.edu/uannounce/ ... relocation

Sundt Construction began the project on March 28 by excavating the Mall lawn. The next phase will be to install the holding tanks over the summer, followed by the replacement of the turf by early fall.

First home game is Sept 10. Sounds like a tailgate or two might be affected unless they speed it up

[TheCatInTheHat]

Oh, I get it. When they built that below-ground plaza in the Meinel Opti Sci Bldg that they like so much for receptions, they didn't do the drainage right. I guess it would be embarrassing if the legs of the chairs and tables with red and blue balloons were in two-inch deep puddles. And now they're building a big annex to it further south. So, the solution is to bury galvanized steel containers the size of houses under the mall. It's a bold strategy that will certainly help the local economy. But, I wasn't aware that Cherry flooded to such an extent. For water containers the size of quonset huts big enough to house a regiment, I'd expect people would've been water skiing behind pickup trucks on Cherry, like the old days on RIo Alvernon. Well, having seen and wondered about the crazy project, I appreciate the explanation.

[Merkin]

Still setting the bar extremely low just to get a W, and that even isn't guaranteed anymore.

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/ ... eCz4DIzCeI

FBSchedules.com is reporting the UA is set to host Prairie View A&M, an FCS school from Texas, to its 2028 schedule. The Panthers will visit Arizona Stadium on Sept. 9, 2028, which would be Arizona’s second game of the season after opening at home against Colorado State.

[azgreg]

I have no problem with a FCS, G5, P5 OOC schedule.

[UAEebs86]

We'll probably be in the Mountain West by then so who cares.

[azgreg]

[azgreg]

[azgreg]

[Merkin]

Should have had an AD intern proofread it, but nice sentiment by Fisch.

[azcat49]

That had to cost almost 6 figures don’t you think?

[KaibabKat]

... and 13 people saw it.

[ASUHATER!]

Games like today are how you fill the stadium. Win and give people a reason to care.

[Merkin]

Even when Khalil Tate was the most exciting player in college football, and UA was on a 4 game winning streak, and had ranked WSU coming into Arizona stadium could they not fill it.

Maybe more to do with RichRod wearing out his welcome, but Fisch certainly did not win the press conference.