Sidewalk fan and occasional poster here.

Longestdays said:
GT is becoming MIT. The new students of GT are less sports orientated than ever. I know there are exceptions. I have no data to back this up, but I believe it non the less.
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I don't see how this is possible. From what I google, GT says that approximately 25% of the student body is involved in greek life. There are 15,000 undergrads, so that's 3,750 greeks that should be attending games.

When I was in school, there were less than 9,000 undergrad. Even if 5,000 of the current students are international or otherwise have no care for sports, there should still be significantly more students attending games now than 30 years ago.
 
cyptomcat said:
This is a GT fan board, not GT alumni board, so all welcome.
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In in sense of the word, but take that with a grain of salt. If some on here are really fans, I think they are probably doing their own mamas.
 
coit said:
I don't see how this is possible. From what I google, GT says that approximately 25% of the student body is involved in greek life. There are 15,000 undergrads, so that's 3,750 greeks that should be attending games.

When I was in school, there were less than 9,000 undergrad. Even if 5,000 of the current students are international or otherwise have no care for sports, there should still be significantly more students attending games now than 30 years ago.
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That’s because a lot of the Greeks (as well as other students) stay behind and party during the game or show up so late and leave so early that they shouldn’t count as having attended.

There has got to be a way to compel their attendance at the sporting events, I just don’t know what it is. They need to be there and in section for kickoff.

I used to think that it was because of noon kickoffs, but we just had a 3:30 game against a top 5 team and it took a long time for Greek sections to fill.
 
savbandjacket said:
That’s because a lot of the Greeks (as well as other students) stay behind and party during the game or show up so late and leave so early that they shouldn’t count as having attended.

There has got to be a way to compel their attendance at the sporting events, I just don’t know what it is. They need to be there and in section for kickoff.

I used to think that it was because of noon kickoffs, but we just had a 3:30 game against a top 5 team and it took a long time for Greek sections to fill.
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I would say make attendance a part of the overall Greek scoring, but I think they already do that.
 
coit said:
I would say make attendance a part of the overall Greek scoring, but I think they already do that.
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Maybe penalize their participation in homecoming or intramural? I don’t know, but it’s something that should change. There is no reason for the entire lower deck of the north end zone (save the band and swarm sections) to be mostly empty at kick against Clemson.
 
savbandjacket said:
Maybe penalize their participation in homecoming or intramural? I don’t know, but it’s something that should change. There is no reason for the entire lower deck of the north end zone (save the band and swarm sections) to be mostly empty at kick against Clemson.
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I sat in Flashcards my last several seasons and they made it clear they'd boot your ass if you showed up late or didn't have someone in your seats for you. Of course the seats were on the 50 yard line so that made it nice.
 
savbandjacket said:
Maybe penalize their participation in homecoming or intramural? I don’t know, but it’s something that should change. There is no reason for the entire lower deck of the north end zone (save the band and swarm sections) to be mostly empty at kick against Clemson.
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I had a Clemson fan ask me at the game if the stadium always filled up that late.
 
coit said:
I sat in Flashcards my last several seasons and they made it clear they'd boot your ass if you showed up late or didn't have someone in your seats for you. Of course the seats were on the 50 yard line so that made it nice.
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I’d imagine that the Greeks would be most upset if not allowed to participate in Greek Week or homecoming activities.
 
Dcgt4542 said:
I assume I am a sidewalk fan in that I did not attend but my daughter is a GT grad. I have been as loyal as possible and my family has attended games for 12 years. We have sat in the heat of Tulane and the frozen tundra of the Miami OB and North to BC and just about everywhere in between. Sat in the rain at Clemson last year and heat Saturday. We really like GT football.
Thanks for tolerating the background.

Back on topic - my perspective on fans and loyalty. I love to ask other fans about their back ground. Year round not just at games. I have met parents of GT grads and current GT students who have never attended a game. I have GT grads in my neighborhood that I cannot get to join my family on game day. I have offered tickets and tailgating. They simply were not interested. No amount of selling got them to the stadium. After more conversation the common theme was that they just did not like football enough and therefore too much hassle to attend. Not even curious other than TV. My conclusion is that all of this fan support agony has at least one dynamic that might be the biggest challenge. You either like or love football or you do not. As a sidewalk fan this love of the game keeps you invested through good and bad. This was my situation. Played HS football. Always loved the game. Daughter attended GT so bingo that’s my team. Made easier because I never was able to stomach the sound of humans barking. THWG. I already loved football so all in from day one. Over the past 12 years I have only really experienced CPJ and one year of CG but regardless of outcome I stayed and my passion for GT grew. I will be back regardless of who is coaching.

Contrast this to the factory sidewalk fan volume and in addition to the pure math of it the factory sidewalk fan probably has a much deeper love of the game. Always has and magnified in the south. Friday night lights. The whole nine yards. Cannot criticize this. What percent of GT parents are genuinely passionate about football? I sadly believe our numbers are shrinking? Who knows?

Anyway I am not happy with the current product on the field but oddly I sort of feel an outsider having not earned the stripes to complain too much ? Anyway I will go on record as believing an era is ending and this is the only era I know first hand. Doing nothing might not be an option?

Other sidewalk fans-what say you?
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You're a better fan than most, myself included. Bitch away bro.
 
savbandjacket said:
That’s because a lot of the Greeks (as well as other students) stay behind and party during the game or show up so late and leave so early that they shouldn’t count as having attended.

There has got to be a way to compel their attendance at the sporting events, I just don’t know what it is. They need to be there and in section for kickoff.

I used to think that it was because of noon kickoffs, but we just had a 3:30 game against a top 5 team and it took a long time for Greek sections to fill.
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They eliminated the Greek “block” system about 5 years ago in favor of first come first serve (plus some weird points system that dictates who gets in first). Makes it harder to sit in the same section, everyone is scattered. I think that has a big impact on Greek attendance.

Oh, and we suck now.
 
savbandjacket said:
I’d imagine that the Greeks would be most upset if not allowed to participate in Greek Week or homecoming activities.
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I don’t think many take either homecoming or Greek week events very seriously. One of two things need to happen:

1. TS initiates a major “marketing” campaign with the undergrads to convince them to attend

2. Start serving alcohol in the stadium. Turn upper north into a “Chop House” style pavilion and highlight local breweries.
2b. Lower drinking age to 18 so they can buy said alcohol. I think TS can take care of this pretty quickly.
 
JRJacket said:
They eliminated the Greek “block” system about 5 years ago in favor of first come first serve (plus some weird points system that dictates who gets in first). Makes it harder to sit in the same section, everyone is scattered. I think that has a big impact on Greek attendance.

Oh, and we suck now.
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Sucking now is definitely a factor, and probably has a bigger impact on student attendance than on any other demographic.

That said, as I recall, they eliminated 'block seating' because it seemed to be suppressing Greek attendance. (There was no longer any reason to show up on time, because you knew you had a seat waiting for you. I think that was the idea.) So let's not blame poor attendance on that.
 
Or add more gates for student entry, and stop the cavity searches at the one gate they can go in. The line to get in for students is 30-45 min+ it's ööööing retarded.
 
JRJacket said:
I don’t think many take either homecoming or Greek week events very seriously. One of two things need to happen:

1. TS initiates a major “marketing” campaign with the undergrads to convince them to attend

2. Start serving alcohol in the stadium. Turn upper north into a “Chop House” style pavilion and highlight local breweries.
2b. Lower drinking age to 18 so they can buy said alcohol. I think TS can take care of this pretty quickly.
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Legalized marijuana in stadium
 
GoJackets89 said:
I second this.

I'm a UofL grad, but grew up in GA and live here. My experience is almost identical, dad was a GT grad and started going to games in the Joe Hamilton era.
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I'm a UofL grad, too. I started watching games when Donnie Davis was the starting QB (I was 11 at the time), Hamilton followed him, and I've been a fan ever since. It didn't hurt that when I was younger Louisville was not a football school in the least. I can't stand Petrino and the level of combined sleaze that was here when both him and Pitino were coaching my alma mater's two main sports, so it's been easy to stick with the Jackets. They're the team I've rooted for since I was a kid and honestly I can't get excited about watching any other team on Saturdays. I'll be a fan regardless of the coach. I do enjoy the triple option when it's working.
 
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