How many non-sport fans will show up just when weâre winning?
I noticed on John Boy & Billy this morning, the old man, Robert D. Raeford, who has spoken for years AGAINST sports & is a USC grad, announced this morning he was at the 50-yard-line during the Bama-Usc game. Gee, what a shocker. Even anti-sports people like a winner. :))
Zero non-sports fans will show no matter what we do. THEY ARE NON-SPORTS FANS. Who wants some egg-headed professor in the stands giving a slow clap after good plays anyway?
Nah, if there is one sport which unites sports fans and non sports fans its football.
Nah, if there is one sport which unites sports fans and non sports fans its football.[/quote]
Iâd like to think itâs possible to âconvertâ non-sports fans into fans, but I donât see football in and of itself as a panacea to do so. I donât know about Raefordâs particular stance on sports in general, but I do know he was anti-US getting it. The example of him going to see his alma mater play in an important game doesnât convince me, because I donât know how he felt about GAMECOCKS Sports beforehand. I think you have to have a natural predisposition to liking something for it to be something you want to participate in. If a husband drags his wife to a game does that make her a fan or a reluctant participant?
People that donât care about sports will show up at a sporting event, if itâs big, just to say âI was thereâ. They like to feel important. Raeford probably couldnât tell you South Carolinaâs record prior to going to the game or who they had played prior to Alabama.
Football on this campus will bring in non-sports fan because that is what college football does. The football games in many places are almost over shadowed by all the other activities. People will be there because itâs the place to be not because its a sport.
But will they go in and buy a ticket, or just enjoy the relatively âfreeâ activities in the parking lots? I know lots of folks that show up at Panthers games whom Iâve never seen inside the stadium. Its great to have a great tailgating atmosphere but if it doesnât translate into the stadium when the clock starts it doesnât really help. I saw a recent thread on CAAZone.com where Delaware fans were lamenting the poor student turnout in the stadium when compared to the student turnout OUTSIDE the stadium.
But will they go in and buy a ticket, or just enjoy the relatively âfreeâ activities in the parking lots? I know lots of folks that show up at Panthers games whom Iâve never seen inside the stadium. Its great to have a great tailgating atmosphere but if it doesnât translate into the stadium when the clock starts it doesnât really help. I saw a recent thread on CAAZone.com where Delaware fans were lamenting the poor student turnout in the stadium when compared to the student turnout OUTSIDE the stadium.[/quote]
Youâre kidding me?! You saw people outside the stadium that you didnât see inside it?
But will they go in and buy a ticket, or just enjoy the relatively âfreeâ activities in the parking lots? I know lots of folks that show up at Panthers games whom Iâve never seen inside the stadium. Its great to have a great tailgating atmosphere but if it doesnât translate into the stadium when the clock starts it doesnât really help. I saw a recent thread on CAAZone.com where Delaware fans were lamenting the poor student turnout in the stadium when compared to the student turnout OUTSIDE the stadium.[/quote]
Youâre kidding me?! You saw people outside the stadium that you didnât see inside it?[/quote]
I know at least 4 guys that pay for parking spaces and leave when everyone goes in. Theyâre there for the party. Thereâs a surprising number of people leaving uptown at the start of Pantherâs (not JUST this year). I work uptown some Sundayâs so Iâve seen the mini-exodus more than once. Most folks are pretty free with their beer and brots with âfellow fansâ and never really make sure they have tickets, why would they?
I didnât know people were free with their beer & brats, damn it. I could have been tailgating for years, & then taking the train shuttle back home to watch the Panthers. Who is this guy, & where is he located? Iâm looking for him the next home tailgate.
Nah, if there is one sport which unites sports fans and non sports fans its football.[/quote]
Iâd like to think itâs possible to âconvertâ non-sports fans into fans, but I donât see football in and of itself as a panacea to do so. I donât know about Raefordâs particular stance on sports in general, but I do know he was anti-US getting it. The example of him going to see his alma mater play in an important game doesnât convince me, because I donât know how he felt about GAMECOCKS Sports beforehand. I think you have to have a natural predisposition to liking something for it to be something you want to participate in. If a husband drags his wife to a game does that make her a fan or a reluctant participant?[/quote]
I would go as far as saying I donât think its possible to convert non-sports fans into fans. However, like I said above, football is one sport that unites them.
Whole families go out to football games, people invite friends from their office etc. By far I have known more friends who donât enjoy sports come to football games then any other sports.
This weekend actually, I have a friend, lets call her Brunette. Charlotte grad. Excited about football, but I think in the 4 years she was here she went to one bball game. Just wasnât for her, there was always something else going on. This weekend she went to an NCSU football game. I poked fun of her, because I know she doesnât like sports much, yet Brunette wanted to go because her friends invited her to go. To quote her âI donât get it, but its funâ.
This was an event she prepared for, as in someone asked her a few weeks ago, got a bunch of tickets and planned a whole weekend around this one event. She doesnât understand football, and probably doesnât care much for it anyways. Yet, to tailgate and experience the game it was worth it.
/speech. I rambled a little, but you get what I am driving at?
Our tailgate group has between 2 to 8 participants a week that show up to tailgate and then leave when the rest of us head into the stadium. Itâs possible they may be the only ones tailgating by the end of the season because at least half the PSL/season ticket owners in our group have already started ditching tickets to the remaining games.