120th Monon Bell Classic

Wabash Hokie · October 01, 2013, 10:15:38 PM

It is October 1 - thought I would welcome the Bear for once.

Wabash Hokie · October 01, 2013, 10:22:58 PM

Monon Bell game tickets are on sale at the Wabash bookstore for this year's game against the lost tribe of Dan. What are the odds that Wabash sells more tickets than DePauw?

Check out the blog entry below:

http://blogs.wabash.edu/thegrunge/2013/09/30/monon-bell-game-tickets/

1837Tigers · October 02, 2013, 11:03:59 AM

Quote from: Wabash Hokie on October 01, 2013, 10:22:58 PM
Monon Bell game tickets are on sale at the Wabash bookstore for this year's game against the lost tribe of Dan. What are the odds that Wabash sells more tickets than DePauw?

Zilch. Despite the rough start, this is a young team led by an extremely able coach/motivator that could easily be 2-1 (Wittenberg is a monster and I wish you guys luck). The Tigers, who start a lot of freshmen, also have a bunch of injuries (which is not an excuse, just a fact). Change takes time, but the change has begun.

Ron Boerger · October 02, 2013, 11:36:12 AM

Agree. Lynch did a great job during his last stint with DPU but he had a lot more talent to work with. Give him a couple of years (and if the admin will stay out of his way) and that team will be back to its usual standard.

smedindy · October 02, 2013, 12:16:36 PM

Nothing against Lynch's bonafides, but this is this year's team. And the Dannys are, well, um...not good.

bashbrother · October 02, 2013, 12:56:21 PM

Quote from: 1837Tigers on October 02, 2013, 11:03:59 AM
Quote from: Wabash Hokie on October 01, 2013, 10:22:58 PM
Monon Bell game tickets are on sale at the Wabash bookstore for this year's game against the lost tribe of Dan. What are the odds that Wabash sells more tickets than DePauw?
Change takes time, but the change has begun.

This is welcomed news.... I don't think my liver can withstand too many more blowouts.

Wabash Hokie · October 02, 2013, 06:37:30 PM

Quote from: 1837Tigers on October 02, 2013, 11:03:59 AM
Quote from: Wabash Hokie on October 01, 2013, 10:22:58 PM
Monon Bell game tickets are on sale at the Wabash bookstore for this year's game against the lost tribe of Dan. What are the odds that Wabash sells more tickets than DePauw?

Zilch. Despite the rough start, this is a young team led by an extremely able coach/motivator that could easily be 2-1 (Wittenberg is a monster and I wish you guys luck). The Tigers, who start a lot of freshmen, also have a bunch of injuries (which is not an excuse, just a fact). Change takes time, but the change has begun.

If the seating at the new Blackstock could be configured similar to Hollett, then I think Wabash would give you a run for the money from an attendance standpoint. Unless the schools can sell an unlimited number of tickets, we will never know. The policy of limiting attendance has been debated at length in previous years and will most likely come up again. Does anyone have any information regarding the number of tickets Wabash was issued - more, less or same as before?

When I went by Blackstock in late August, there were no visitors stands, at least none that I saw. If that is indeed the case, then the stands are not permanent, which means that they can be moved and expanded based on anticipated demand, much like the temporary stands used for the Bell games at Hollett. In the back of mind, I am thinking that DePauw may not be too motivated to maximize the seating for the Wabash fanbase at this time.

While Lynch was a great hire, the cupboard is barren right now. The Denison game will be a good barometer of where the team is headed this year. A competive game would be a very positive sign.

1837Tigers · October 03, 2013, 12:28:56 AM

Quote from: Wabash Hokie on October 02, 2013, 06:37:30 PM
Quote from: 1837Tigers on October 02, 2013, 11:03:59 AM
Quote from: Wabash Hokie on October 01, 2013, 10:22:58 PM
Monon Bell game tickets are on sale at the Wabash bookstore for this year's game against the lost tribe of Dan. What are the odds that Wabash sells more tickets than DePauw?

Zilch. Despite the rough start, this is a young team led by an extremely able coach/motivator that could easily be 2-1 (Wittenberg is a monster and I wish you guys luck). The Tigers, who start a lot of freshmen, also have a bunch of injuries (which is not an excuse, just a fact). Change takes time, but the change has begun.

If the seating at the new Blackstock could be configured similar to Hollett, then I think Wabash would give you a run for the money from an attendance standpoint. Unless the schools can sell an unlimited number of tickets, we will never know. The policy of limiting attendance has been debated at length in previous years and will most likely come up again. Does anyone have any information regarding the number of tickets Wabash was issued - more, less or same as before?

When I went by Blackstock in late August, there were no visitors stands, at least none that I saw. If that is indeed the case, then the stands are not permanent, which means that they can be moved and expanded based on anticipated demand, much like the temporary stands used for the Bell games at Hollett. In the back of mind, I am thinking that DePauw may not be too motivated to maximize the seating for the Wabash fanbase at this time.

While Lynch was a great hire, the cupboard is barren right now. The Denison game will be a good barometer of where the team is headed this year. A competive game would be a very positive sign.

The problem with the Hollett setup is almost an entire section of DePauw side seating is obstructed view (in the corner by the athletic center, our stands literally angle behind yours). As a result, the DePauw stands will *never* be filled -- even in the event of a sellout, those fans need to stand to see.

DePauw has lost 2 games by 5 points. As I said earlier, the Witt game was, well, the score says it all.

And be certain that DePauw welcomes Wabash fans. A strong showing on both sides is good for the rivalry.

Wabash Hokie · October 03, 2013, 08:27:34 AM

1837 Tiger - I wholeheartedly agree that the layout at Hollett leaves a lot to be desired. The one set of stands to which you refer is worthless except for a few rows that the top that can see over endzone stands. Given the fact that the visitor stands at Hollett are "fixed", Wabash fits in extra stands where they can. My understanding is that they have to have a "seat" for every ticket they sell, so in order to provide the maximum number of tickets, they build seats where they can, even if people won't want to sit in them. I agree with you that one cannot assess the degree of fan support based on whether all of the seats allocated to the school are filled at Hollett.

If there are not permanent stands on the visitors side of Blackstock, my only point is that DePauw is not locked in to any kind of seating configuration which gives DePauw much more flexibility in determining seating capacity, etc.

1837Tigers · October 03, 2013, 08:29:18 AM

Quote from: Wabash Hokie on October 03, 2013, 08:27:34 AM
1837 Tiger - I wholeheartedly agree that the layout at Hollett leaves a lot to be desired. The one set of stands to which you refer is worthless except for a few rows that the top that can see over endzone stands. Given the fact that the visitor stands at Hollett are "fixed", Wabash fits in extra stands where they can. My understanding is that they have to have a "seat" for every ticket they sell, so in order to provide the maximum number of tickets, they build seats where they can, even if people won't want to sit in them. I agree with you that one cannot assess the degree of fan support based on whether all of the seats allocated to the school are filled at Hollett.

If there are not permanent stands on the visitors side of Blackstock, my only point is that DePauw is not locked in to any kind of seating configuration which gives DePauw much more flexibility in determining seating capacity, etc.

Gotcha, Hokie. And thanks!

sigma one · October 03, 2013, 06:15:56 PM

There have never been as many seats at Blackstock as at Hollett. And, yes, some of those Hollett seats are obstructed. Attendance has always been way up at games in C'ville.
For the past several years, DPU has not come close to selling all its tickets. Last year, at Kickoff the DPU side was embarrassingly empty given the nature of the rivalry. Every Wabash fan on here has expressed the hope that DPU will improve and the Bell Game will be what it once was. There has just been too much instability in the football program for the past 6 or 7 years to give fans reason to get excited, particularly those whose interest is lukewarm except for the Bell Game. Every fan has predicted that Lynch will will coach 'em up. Wabash always wants to win, but it has been too easy recently.
It's true that two of the Tigers' losses this year could have been wins: 3 pts, and 2pts. Wittenberg, well, not there yet. DPU has Denison this weekend. The game should tell us whether Lynch is improving his available talent to win v. a team that upset OWU last week. A couple of wins would jack up Bell ticket sales, of course. And maybe the chance to see the new stadium will entice Tiger fans to the Bell Game.

BashFan74 · October 04, 2013, 11:45:17 PM

As long as the DPU students (and alums) believe there is more action and interest in the parking lot -- then the stands will continue to be partially full. (I can recall games when the permanent stands were only 3/4 full.). The opportunity is not only to improve the product on the field,
but also to kindle some level of interest.

1837Tigers · October 05, 2013, 09:53:04 AM

Let's not let the results of the last few years distort history. The stands for the 2008 game, at Wabash, were half-empty in the 3rd quarter when your fans realized tailgating is more fun that witnessing a thumping. It does work both ways, and DePauw always sells out its home allotment, as does W.

1837Tigers · October 09, 2013, 02:09:32 PM

October 9, 1909 - http://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/21793/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LseSuUrSHA

wabndy · October 09, 2013, 02:10:42 PM

Quote from: 1837Tigers on October 05, 2013, 09:53:04 AM
Let's not let the results of the last few years distort history. The stands for the 2008 game, at Wabash, were half-empty in the 3rd quarter when your fans realized tailgating is more fun that witnessing a thumping. It does work both ways, and DePauw always sells out its home allotment, as does W.

Figuring respective game interest by looking at empty bleacher seats is not a really good gauge for either side. The "one seat per ticket" policy has practically guaranteed that both schools over the years have wasted plenty of money installing whole bleacher sections that go completely unused. If the purpose was to have a "full stadium" panorama to use in college marketing - this policy fails miserably. Sadly - the policy probably has more to do with the goals of limiting alcohol overconsumption, in-game and post-game fights, and vandalism that have marred contests in the recent past. Limiting ticket sales which effectively eliminate game-day ticket sales sharply reduce the ability of fans to leave (drink) and return to watch the end of the game. This means that even when the game is a sell out, every fan that chooses mingle, go to the port a john, or leave early is going to leave a nice two foot section of empty metal bleacher for the TV cameras. Throw in a cold or rainy day and you've got plenty of older fans who don't need to stick around until the bitter end. Both schools could probably sell tickets for 125% of available seating and there would still be some bare spots in the bleachers. I imagine both sides have decided, prudently, that creating a made-for-tv packed house game crowd atmosphere is just not worth the risk.