Let there be lights

[Egg Salad]

I couldn't resist digging this thread back up. In today's Chronicle there's a story about App State and their increasing attendance and awesome gameday atmosphere by Tim Dumas. The article states that they used to average about 14,000 per game (about like us) but in the last couple of seasons their attendance has increased to about 23,000. Here's an excerpt from the article that I find interesting:

Sure, the winning has helped, but the school has made an effort to become more fan friendly by adding tailgating and switching its home kickoffs to 3:30 p.m. The mid-afternoon starts help alumni and fans, many of whom live in Charlotte or Winston-Salem, more than 100 miles away, a chance to take children to soccer games or do yard work before heading to The Rock.
"Were a small community that relies on people driving an hour and a half, two hours, even three hours to our games," Cobb said, "The biggest thing, outside of the way the team's playing, is that it's fun to come to the games. We've really pushed the notion of tailgating." (I retyped this so any typos are mine and not the authors)

With the exception of the 3:30 kickoffs due to lack of lights at Bobcat Stadium, I see MSU doing a lot of the same things (except the new rules that put a damper on student tailgating).

One thing I hope we come out of this game with-a new perspective on how to do things with our gameday. I hope the folks who can make it down there take it all in and let us know what we at MSU can incorporate into our gameday.

I read this too, and I knew it was going to be brought back up

[Cat Grad]

I couldn't resist digging this thread back up. In today's Chronicle there's a story about App State and their increasing attendance and awesome gameday atmosphere by Tim Dumas. The article states that they used to average about 14,000 per game (about like us) but in the last couple of seasons their attendance has increased to about 23,000. Here's an excerpt from the article that I find interesting:

Sure, the winning has helped, but the school has made an effort to become more fan friendly by adding tailgating and switching its home kickoffs to 3:30 p.m. The mid-afternoon starts help alumni and fans, many of whom live in Charlotte or Winston-Salem, more than 100 miles away, a chance to take children to soccer games or do yard work before heading to The Rock.
"Were a small community that relies on people driving an hour and a half, two hours, even three hours to our games," Cobb said, "The biggest thing, outside of the way the team's playing, is that it's fun to come to the games. We've really pushed the notion of tailgating." (I retyped this so any typos are mine and not the authors)

With the exception of the 3:30 kickoffs due to lack of lights at Bobcat Stadium, I see MSU doing a lot of the same things (except the new rules that put a damper on student tailgating).

One thing I hope we come out of this game with-a new perspective on how to do things with our gameday. I hope the folks who can make it down there take it all in and let us know what we at MSU can incorporate into our gameday.

I read this too, and I knew it was going to be brought back up

Ya'll are brilliant! I wasn't going to dig this up because of my affiliation and kindred spirit who found a home in Statesboro! I myself have no problem whatsoever with a later start time (earlier either and I think because of the distances we travel that would be a better option) It's simple: I'm retired for good this time, but what about all of our other folks with kids and jobs? The group I sat with suffered the same Saturday morning problems I did this year: Soccer in the hometown!

Now, back to Statesboro. They actually had teams from out of town come and play tournaments so the families would be there for the games We all could market this college "exponentially" better than all the out-of-state folks that will be the finalists for the new MSU Marketing Director position Here's my suggestion: BAC, get back this winter!

[GOKATS]

Not to dim anyones hopes, but lights would be so far down on the list of stadium improvements that it really doesn't merit discussion.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Not to dim anyones hopes, but lights would be so far down on the list of stadium improvements that it really doesn't merit discussion.

We could light the stadium with the $$$ from one body bag game. High schools have bake sales and raffles to fund lights for their stadiums. Shoot-Belgrade has 2 lighted stadiums within a few blocks of each other. It can't be that expensive.

But you're probably right-I'm sure it's way down on the priority list.

[083190]

The expense for lighting comes into play when you get lighting that has enough quality for tv broadcasts. Check out some of the high school games that are shown on the Fox Sports channels. Areas of the fields are poorly lit. If there were to be lights, then do it top shelf. You can't head to New York and get off the train in Chicago.

[MAGOO]

Count me in as strongly in favor of lighting. I live approx. 150 miles from Bozeman. Attending Saturday games means that I cannot watch grandkids play soccer or volleyball, or do any usual Saturday morning chores. I missed two Cat games this fall because of Saturday morning commitments. If we were to add lights and artificial turf, the stadium could be used for a noon-start high school game, and an evening Cats game. More fans in Bozeman for both games. And, more fans staying in Bozeman Saturday night. I would rather travel to Bozeman late Saturday, watch a night game, stay over at the new C'Mon Inn (a real gem, by the way), go to mass out by campus Sunday morning, and drive back to Red Lodge Sunday afternoon.

For me, this is high priority because it is a personal comfort and convenience item. I will never have the $$ to view games thru skybox glass, and while it would be nice to have an additional 10,000 at Cat games, looking around at their smiling faces is only of tangential personal benefit to me. If having lights and artificial turf will bring more folks to the stadium, why not do these items first, and spend the real big bucks later??

[Billings_Griz]

I couldn't resist digging this thread back up. In today's Chronicle there's a story about App State and their increasing attendance and awesome gameday atmosphere by Tim Dumas. The article states that they used to average about 14,000 per game (about like us) but in the last couple of seasons their attendance has increased to about 23,000. Here's an excerpt from the article that I find interesting:

Sure, the winning has helped, but the school has made an effort to become more fan friendly by adding tailgating and switching its home kickoffs to 3:30 p.m. The mid-afternoon starts help alumni and fans, many of whom live in Charlotte or Winston-Salem, more than 100 miles away, a chance to take children to soccer games or do yard work before heading to The Rock.
"Were a small community that relies on people driving an hour and a half, two hours, even three hours to our games," Cobb said, "The biggest thing, outside of the way the team's playing, is that it's fun to come to the games. We've really pushed the notion of tailgating." (I retyped this so any typos are mine and not the authors)

With the exception of the 3:30 kickoffs due to lack of lights at Bobcat Stadium, I see MSU doing a lot of the same things (except the new rules that put a damper on student tailgating).

One thing I hope we come out of this game with-a new perspective on how to do things with our gameday. I hope the folks who can make it down there take it all in and let us know what we at MSU can incorporate into our gameday.

Do you really need to travel a couple thousand miles to see?

[rtb]

Do you really need to travel a couple thousand miles to see?

Are you implying that all we need to do is go to Missoula to learn about a game day experience?

I don't want this to start as a who's got better tailgating, etc, but I do want to say this. I was in Missoula for Cat/Griz this year and have been to games up there in the past. The experience inside the stadium is absolutely a great gameday atmosphere, but the "tailgating" and outside the stadium isn't that great. WaGriz's location doesn't allow for a big festival like atmosphere and half the tailgates have private party signs. To me that isn't tailgating. Tailgating is about being with all the fans and anyone that walks by should feel comfortable to stop and grab a beer or some food and bs for a while. In terms of excitement the feel at WaGriz is one of the best, but the pregame tailgating isn't so great.

[Cat-theotherwhitemeat]

Having lights opens up some options. If ESPN2 is deciding which games to televise, not having lights could be the deal breaker. Also, the stadium could be rented out for high school games and such (more $$ for your athletic programs).

IMO, a later start time would increase attendence. Billings, for example, has a large Cat following. It would be more appealling to me, if I were a Bocat fan, to attend a game that starts at 3:00pm. More time to sleep in, tailgate, etc.

Plus, if the coaches wanted to they could hold practice at night.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Do you really need to travel a couple thousand miles to see?

[CatRowdy]

When we beat the boondoggles; AND if Youngstown gets defeated; Reno H will have lights....
We'll have the Friday semi final game; it'll be an evening game and broadcast on ESPN!
Let's see the line to get tickets!

[Bleedinbluengold]

I asked this question at Cat/Griz from an athletic dept. person, and was told that lights would cost over a million.

I said, heck, we're already trying to raise $20MM-$30MM, what's another Mil?

[Egg Salad]

I asked this question at Cat/Griz from an athletic dept. person, and was told that lights would cost over a million.

I said, heck, we're already trying to raise $20MM-$30MM, what's another Mil?

That's a hell of a bake sale.

[083190]

It's easy to say we need this and that. Who's willing to write a check? $100, $200, $300 ...... Anyone?, Anyone?

[Platinumcat]

I asked this question at Cat/Griz from an athletic dept. person, and was told that lights would cost over a million.

I said, heck, we're already trying to raise $20MM-$30MM, what's another Mil?

I find that surprising! I am on the local softball board and was involved in purchasing and installing a new lighting system for all five softball fields here in Bozeman. The total cost on that was right at $350K. We did make a mistake and not go with Musco/Musko lights. They are hands down the best in the industry IMO from an overall service/quality standpoint. That would have added about another $100K. I would be astounded if it took more lights for one football field then it takes for five softball fields.

[catamaran]

Probably bigger banks than we use at the complex

[MAGOO]

It's easy to say we need this and that. Who's willing to write a check? $100, $200, $300 ...... Anyone?, Anyone?

Yeah, put me down for $500. Check out my earlier post as to why. I don't think that we're looking at more than 1/2 mil for the cost of the same and I think this is higher priority than skyboxes to lease (altho maybe we can't put lights on the east side until after the boxes are built).

[1BadBobcat]

When we beat the boondoggles; AND if Youngstown gets defeated; Reno H will have lights....
We'll have the Friday semi final game; it'll be an evening game and broadcast on ESPN!
Let's see the line to get tickets!

We're not Reno H. anymore. Its Martel Field in Bobcat Stadium.

[083190]

Magoo....You've done it again!!

[Cat-theotherwhitemeat]

It's easy to say we need this and that. Who's willing to write a check? $100, $200, $300 ...... Anyone?, Anyone?

Yeah, put me down for $500. Check out my earlier post as to why. I don't think that we're looking at more than 1/2 mil for the cost of the same and I think this is higher priority than skyboxes to lease (altho maybe we can't put lights on the east side until after the boxes are built).

MAGOO knows what he's talking about. We'll have to meet for a beer and pizza at Bogart's some time.