FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SJUrube]

Ripped from the headlines....

Today marks the 34th anniversary of Wendy's "Where's the beef?" campaign. For those unfamiliar, the phrase "become an all-purpose phrase questioning the substance of an idea, event or product." (Source Wikipedia).

[art76]

At the risk of getting my nose tweaked for putting it where it may not belong, when one looks at the attendance statistics before last year's skewed results because of the Twins Stadium game, BU out drew all the "city teams" in D3 for a number of years. This is quite an accomplishment when you consider how many other distractions there are in the Twin Cities on any given Saturday afternoon in the fall. There is a meeting in another week (which I cannot attend) where I hope there is a "kick-off" to upgrade/replace the existing stadium at BU. I do believe that Bethel has maxed out their current seating and need to upgrade the facilities. I do believe "if it is built, they will come".

[GoldandBlueBU]

At the risk of getting my nose tweaked for putting it where it may not belong, when one looks at the attendance statistics before last year's skewed results because of the Twins Stadium game, BU out drew all the "city teams" in D3 for a number of years. This is quite an accomplishment when you consider how many other distractions there are in the Twin Cities on any given Saturday afternoon in the fall. There is a meeting in another week (which I cannot attend) where I hope there is a "kick-off" to upgrade/replace the existing stadium at BU. I do believe that Bethel has maxed out their current seating and need to upgrade the facilities. I do believe "if it is built, they will come".

If that's the case, I hope that the turf is part of it.  I'd rather see their grass field go extinct before more  / new seats.

[miac952]

At the risk of getting my nose tweaked for putting it where it may not belong, when one looks at the attendance statistics before last year's skewed results because of the Twins Stadium game, BU out drew all the "city teams" in D3 for a number of years. This is quite an accomplishment when you consider how many other distractions there are in the Twin Cities on any given Saturday afternoon in the fall. There is a meeting in another week (which I cannot attend) where I hope there is a "kick-off" to upgrade/replace the existing stadium at BU. I do believe that Bethel has maxed out their current seating and need to upgrade the facilities. I do believe "if it is built, they will come".

If that's the case, I hope that the turf is part of it.  I'd rather see their grass field go extinct before more  / new seats.

I'm nostalgic for the natural grass. Think we only have two left in the MIAC right? Bethel and Carleton

[miac952]

Pretty slow in here.
Shall we discuss the 2017 D3 football home* attendance rankings led by St Thomas or has everyone had enough fun with that on Twitter?

2018 and beyond will tell the tale if the 2017 season with a "Home" game played at Target Field was an outlier. If 2017 is not an outlier, then the Tommies will be either 1st or 2nd in attendance in 2018. If the "Home" game at Target Field was the overwhelming factor,then it will show up in the numbers. This whole debate is the fault of the SJU administration for allowing the game to be played at Target Field. It was a novelty and a fun experience,but make no mistake it should never be allowed to happen again. The Tommies sports marketing department won this big time.

Absolutely it's an outlier unless we continue to move our Tommie-Johnnie home game to a bigger venue. The Tommies won big but I doubt SJU comes out looking too bad in it either. It's a fun little fact to throw out in recruiting and I don't think UST would be afraid to do it again, Target Field, CHS, Allianz or wherever. With or without St John's. Maybe the Bethel game in a few years?

Target Stadium with UST playing any school other that SJU:

Add some snow and this is what Clemens has looked like every Saturday in December the last 12 years

[GoldandBlueBU]

At the risk of getting my nose tweaked for putting it where it may not belong, when one looks at the attendance statistics before last year's skewed results because of the Twins Stadium game, BU out drew all the "city teams" in D3 for a number of years. This is quite an accomplishment when you consider how many other distractions there are in the Twin Cities on any given Saturday afternoon in the fall. There is a meeting in another week (which I cannot attend) where I hope there is a "kick-off" to upgrade/replace the existing stadium at BU. I do believe that Bethel has maxed out their current seating and need to upgrade the facilities. I do believe "if it is built, they will come".

If that's the case, I hope that the turf is part of it.  I'd rather see their grass field go extinct before more  / new seats.

I'm nostalgic for the natural grass. Think we only have two left in the MIAC right? Bethel and Carleton

Yes, I believe so.  Unless Carleton moves their field, I can't imagine they'd ever get rid of the grass, since their field is prone to flooding.  I think Olaf was the last one to convert before that.  Or maybe Gustavus?  Did they have grass or turf before their stadium reboot?

[OzJohnnie]

I think the Target Field game was fine as a one-time thing.  It was exciting and new and a neat way to showcase the game.  However, if it happens routinely, it's going to lose all that.  This is D3.  If I want to overpay to see a game in a huge venue, I'll go to a Gopher or Viking game.  I like seeing games on-campus.  Remember MIAC Dome Days?  Those games sucked.

Agree. I think it would lose the novelty if used too much.  If o-shag-Hennessy could be improved I think that would be better.

[OzJohnnie]

At the risk of getting my nose tweaked for putting it where it may not belong, when one looks at the attendance statistics before last year's skewed results because of the Twins Stadium game, BU out drew all the "city teams" in D3 for a number of years. This is quite an accomplishment when you consider how many other distractions there are in the Twin Cities on any given Saturday afternoon in the fall. There is a meeting in another week (which I cannot attend) where I hope there is a "kick-off" to upgrade/replace the existing stadium at BU. I do believe that Bethel has maxed out their current seating and need to upgrade the facilities. I do believe "if it is built, they will come".

If that's the case, I hope that the turf is part of it.  I'd rather see their grass field go extinct before more  / new seats.

I'm nostalgic for the natural grass. Think we only have two left in the MIAC right? Bethel and Carleton

Same.

[MiacMan]

I think the Target Field game was fine as a one-time thing.  It was exciting and new and a neat way to showcase the game.  However, if it happens routinely, it's going to lose all that.  This is D3.  If I want to overpay to see a game in a huge venue, I'll go to a Gopher or Viking game.  I like seeing games on-campus.  Remember MIAC Dome Days?  Those games sucked.

Duff we can always count on you for some Johnnie logic. Good points and I can concur. However, I would think the Johnnie faithful would want UST to move the game to a bigger venue when it's a UST home game. Logistics is the main reason playing on the road is a disadvantage particularly at the D3 level. Coaches have other crap to deal with when they travel regardless of the distance. Some kid always forgets his shoulder pads, or trainers forget something, etc. Just playing off campus pretty much nullifies the HFA plus SJU would more than likely outdraw them. Win, win for SJU. Oh and you are 100% correct those dome games totally sucked!

[miac952]

I think the Target Field game was fine as a one-time thing.  It was exciting and new and a neat way to showcase the game.  However, if it happens routinely, it's going to lose all that.  This is D3.  If I want to overpay to see a game in a huge venue, I'll go to a Gopher or Viking game.  I like seeing games on-campus.  Remember MIAC Dome Days?  Those games sucked.

Duff we can always count on you for some Johnnie logic. Good points and I can concur. However, I would think the Johnnie faithful would want UST to move the game to a bigger venue when it's a UST home game. Logistics is the main reason playing on the road is a disadvantage particularly at the D3 level. Coaches have other crap to deal with when they travel regardless of the distance. Some kid always forgets his shoulder pads, or trainers forget something, etc. Just playing off campus pretty much nullifies the HFA plus SJU would more than likely outdraw them. Win, win for SJU. Oh and you are 100% correct those dome games totally sucked!

The marketing and PR engine behind it all will wear off after it is done a time or two. I think UST leadership has an interest in exploring other venues like Target Field though, just for the fact of the logistics behind it all. It's a massive undertaking to squeeze 'The Game" into the campus. Top that with the issues with neighbors that exists as well. To turf it to someone else to run, and to get a fixed % of sales is pretty attractive. SJU has a larger plot of land to work with and is used to managing big crowds each week. With the MLS stadium opening up and the Vikings building an attractive outdoor stadium at the new Eagan facility, this might be a traveling circus.

I haven't decided where I sit with that yet.

[OldAuggie]

I think the Target Field game was fine as a one-time thing.  It was exciting and new and a neat way to showcase the game.  However, if it happens routinely, it's going to lose all that.  This is D3.  If I want to overpay to see a game in a huge venue, I'll go to a Gopher or Viking game.  I like seeing games on-campus.  Remember MIAC Dome Days?  Those games sucked.

I think the attendance would drop as well and quickly. I have lived through at least two cycles of Dome games, the first was the NIC vs MIAC Classic back in the mid 80's in which I played as a young man and the more recent MIAC dome games. Both were bad news and never drew near the amount of fans as the Target Field game but that game was a novelty. I agree with Duffman, I do go to Gopher games and enjoy them but when I see a MIAC game I want the smaller D3 atmosphere. Full disclosure, I have never been to the Tommie - Johnnie game and I don't plan on it unless I have a relative in the game. NDSU is up next at Target Field so it will be interesting to see how many they draw.

[SJUrube]

Found the beef.

SJU LEADS NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL IN ON-CAMPUS ATTENDANCE FOR 21ST TIME, 16TH IN LAST 17 SEASONS

http://gojohnnies.com/news/2018/1/8/sju-leads-ncaa-division-iii-football-in-attendance-for-21st-time-16th-in-last-17-seasons.aspx?path=football

[DuffMan]

Found the beef.

SJU LEADS NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL IN ON-CAMPUS ATTENDANCE FOR 21ST TIME, 16TH IN LAST 17 SEASONS

http://gojohnnies.com/news/2018/1/8/sju-leads-ncaa-division-iii-football-in-attendance-for-21st-time-16th-in-last-17-seasons.aspx?path=football

Somewhat funny, but even I find that a little petty by SJU. 

[AO]

Found the beef.

SJU LEADS NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL IN ON-CAMPUS ATTENDANCE FOR 21ST TIME, 16TH IN LAST 17 SEASONS

http://gojohnnies.com/news/2018/1/8/sju-leads-ncaa-division-iii-football-in-attendance-for-21st-time-16th-in-last-17-seasons.aspx?path=football

  They even created their own tables to make it look like the ones the NCAA publishes.

[MiacMan]

Found the beef.

SJU LEADS NCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL IN ON-CAMPUS ATTENDANCE FOR 21ST TIME, 16TH IN LAST 17 SEASONS

http://gojohnnies.com/news/2018/1/8/sju-leads-ncaa-division-iii-football-in-attendance-for-21st-time-16th-in-last-17-seasons.aspx?path=football

  They even created their own tables to make it look like the ones the NCAA publishes.

Wow, maybe attendance is more important to SJ2, making up their own stat categories now. If they had the guts to leave their campus for a date with UST my guess is that they could easily get the word out to their faithful and reclaim the record. But it appears they are just happy to be 3rd for single game home attendance in D3 (behind UST and UWW). No guts no glory.