So, I was too young to remember the mid - late 80's of our baseball heyday. I was curious as to how the atmosphere compared to the SR last year against Clemson? I guess I really want to know if we did happen to pull in a decent coach, and consistenly get crowd support like that, could we take our baseball program to a whole new level?, as in 15k-20k attendance if we upgraded the stadium...stuff like that.</p>
Baseball Speak
- Thread starter Coastdog28
- Start date
I don't know if we can ever get back to the atmosphere we had in the 80s. Special events like SBW,regionals, and supers will bring in good crowds. A really good weekend crowd now seems to be about 5,000. There was a time that that would have been a really weak Saturday crowd for us. I think the right hire and a much improved product could get us back to consistently bringing in 6 - 7000 per game for an SEC weekend with 15,000 for the big events. Maybe more if they can find a place to put them.
That would be sweet. We haven't won an SEC Championship since they took those away. I'm know its not the only reason, but I always thought those huge crowds were an advantage to us. Especially when we played SEC teams that regularly drew less then 500 a game. Obviously it wouldn't be as big of an advantage now.
Let me put it this way- our SR last year > than a regular season game during the 80's and Regular season game in the 80's >>>>>>>>> regular season game now.
I think a lot of the problem is the fact that we have a lot of "fans" that buy up the grandstand season tickets so that they get priority when/if we host a Regional. As a result, the grandstand is practically empty for the first few innings until the mass exodus of the bleachers occurs when it's every man for themselves.
Another part of the problem is that we rely WAY too much on our tradition to advertise for us. We need to 1. Do things to make our baseball games attractive to the students and market the program to them and 2. we need to advertise the baseball program to the alumni.
Then we need to advertise the Dugout Club MUCH better. We have supposedly the most tradition rich baseball program in the State, and we advertise the booster club as well as the Free Masons advertise their meetings. I hope Byrne and the new coach make a BIG push to get people to join for a lot of reasons- mainly to try to fund things that we need for the future like help with some money to renovate Dudy-Noble, buying equipment, and etc.
And oh yes, the quality of the product just hasn't been very good. It's time for a change, and 98% of MSU fans know this. Having a winning product will obviously help.
I think a lot of the problem is the fact that we have a lot of "fans" that buy up the grandstand season tickets so that they get priority when/if we host a Regional. As a result, the grandstand is practically empty for the first few innings until the mass exodus of the bleachers occurs when it's every man for themselves.
Another part of the problem is that we rely WAY too much on our tradition to advertise for us. We need to 1. Do things to make our baseball games attractive to the students and market the program to them and 2. we need to advertise the baseball program to the alumni.
Then we need to advertise the Dugout Club MUCH better. We have supposedly the most tradition rich baseball program in the State, and we advertise the booster club as well as the Free Masons advertise their meetings. I hope Byrne and the new coach make a BIG push to get people to join for a lot of reasons- mainly to try to fund things that we need for the future like help with some money to renovate Dudy-Noble, buying equipment, and etc.
And oh yes, the quality of the product just hasn't been very good. It's time for a change, and 98% of MSU fans know this. Having a winning product will obviously help.
The team has sucked pretty much for 7 years straight (I know we went to the CWS last year but we had a very mediocre regular season). It wouldn't matter if we played triple-headers, the atmosphere would still not be anywhere near what it once was. Give us consistent top 10 teams like we had for most of the 80s and you'll see 10,000+ crowds become the norm again on Saturday's no matter how many games are played that day.
A little support for my position. 16 of the top 25 crowds in MSU history (per Wikipedia) happened from 1997-2007 (I'm not totally sure when the SEC went to the Fri-Sat-Sun format but I know it was in the Polk I era so I used the last year of Polk I). Only 7 of those were postseason games. The rest were regular season games. Apparently, the Fri-Sat-Sun format isn't doing too much to hurt Saturday attendance.
A little support for my position. 16 of the top 25 crowds in MSU history (per Wikipedia) happened from 1997-2007 (I'm not totally sure when the SEC went to the Fri-Sat-Sun format but I know it was in the Polk I era so I used the last year of Polk I). Only 7 of those were postseason games. The rest were regular season games. Apparently, the Fri-Sat-Sun format isn't doing too much to hurt Saturday attendance.
Exactly Maxwell. After a players only meeting earlier this year our squad came out the next day and pounded whoever we played, I can't remember who it was. But I clearly remember Polk laughing it off and stating in the paper the next day that the meeting really didn't have anything to do with the win. How does somebody, the HEAD COACH, undermine his own players attempt to better themselves?? He said emotion has no effect whatsoever. So Bulldog fans...don't go to baseball games...and if you do...by all means, don't waste your energy by clapping or yelling or encouraging our players or taunting the left fielder. According to our field general, it won't help.
You know the towns like the extra day of people there to buy stuff. And for most schools, they sell more tickets with two days than they do for the doubleheader. I could possibly see a limited amount of them I guess, maybe start off with one or two a year, to see how it works again. College baseball is a lot different than it was 25 years ago.
I don't want to see 7 inning games. I heard it could be they have two games- one at 2 PM and one at 7PM, with crowds having to leave after each game. If MState wanted to keep the fans happy, they could have a "Doubleheader" ticket for $15 (normal price is $8/game, if I'm not mistaken). That way, the LFL fans wouldn't have to leave their grills and coolers for an hour or so, then have to come right back in, while other fans could maybe leave, get a bit to eat in town, and then come back for the nightcap.
If State gets back to its winning ways, I can see Game Saturdays in the Spring rivalling anything we see in the Fall.
If State gets back to its winning ways, I can see Game Saturdays in the Spring rivalling anything we see in the Fall.
they had changed the double-headers from two 7-inning games to a 9-inning first game and a 7-inning second game. I don't see why they can't play two 9-inning games with a longer break between the two games.
One disadvantage to the Saturday DH's is the increase in games lost to bad weather
If you look at the schedules for some of the lower divisions in college baseball, you'd be suprised how compressed their schedules are. Their limited travel expenses translates into DH's on consecutive days, days with triple-headers, etc.
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One disadvantage to the Saturday DH's is the increase in games lost to bad weather
If you look at the schedules for some of the lower divisions in college baseball, you'd be suprised how compressed their schedules are. Their limited travel expenses translates into DH's on consecutive days, days with triple-headers, etc.
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one game on Fri, DH on Sat. would work better because then you could use Sun. to make up games. I think that would be better for attendance, so that people would have time to go to church and get a day off before work on Mon.
However, it's going to take more than just butts in the seats to get that atmosphere back. I'm willing to bet that for the last 10 years at any time during a game (except during post season games), that up to 50% of the people you see in the outfield have no idea what inning it is or what the score is. The outfield has turned into a place to be seen and visit people and try to sponge some free vittles instead of watching a game while you tailgate and rooting hard for the dogs. Those 50% are just turnstyle numbers and don't contribute anything to the atmosphere of the place.</p>
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