Disappointment or reality on our small fanbase

[jtung230]

Personally, even with the outcome, I rather watch yesterday’s game than Howard or Wagner.

My entire section was celebrating the win and next thing you know Illinois was lining to go for it on 4th and 13. Talk about a 🎢 of emotions.

 

[jtung230]

No doubt this one is 100% on GS. BB was trying to give us the win with that stupid FG attempt. But GS said not thank you.

Feel bad for the players, especially the seniors. Hope this loss doesn’t cost us the next one. I can see the hangover effect.

 

[ruinac]

Former season ticket holders, such as myself, and former regular game-goers have explained ad nauseam on these boards why they go less often or not at all anymore. It’s not all about the Ws and Ls but RU and many diehards don’t want to believe us and keep repeating “when we win they’ll come back.”

Well, the team is doing better and still the stands don’t fill or empty out. Why? Because we are gone and the ones who replaced us picked up cheap tickets for a game or two and aren’t interested in showing up early and staying until the end of four hour games.

 

[jtung230]

Former season ticket holders, such as myself, and former regular game-goers have explained ad nauseam on these boards why they go less often or not at all anymore. It’s not all about the Ws and Ls but RU and many diehards don’t want to believe us and keep repeating “when we win they’ll come back.”

Well, the team is doing better and still the stands don’t fill or empty out. Why? Because we are gone and the ones who replaced us picked up cheap tickets and aren’t interested in showing up early and staying until the end of four hour games.

What is it again?

 

[ruinac]

What is it again?

You already know

 

[jtung230]

You already know

I forgot. Please remind me.

 

[NotInRHouse]

It was insanely windy and the constant stoppages yesterday, beyond even the refs inserting themselves, isn't appealing to most.

Especially if you're a college student. Most of us were there at one point. No one believes that most people here showed up to every game beginning to end for 4 years.

And that was before social media was on phones.

 

[jtung230]

It was insanely windy and the constant stoppages yesterday, beyond even the refs inserting themselves, isn't appealing to most.

Especially if you're a college student. Most of us were there at one point. No one believes that most people here showed up to every game beginning to end for 4 years.

And that was before social media was on phones.

I don’t think we are saying every game. This was a good game, with an exciting finish. I leave early for the blow outs all the time. My rule is 21 points after Q3 (winning or losing).

 

[RU#1fan]

I watched the first half of today's game on Peacock. Due to child obligations that make me a chauffeur on many Saturdays, I listened to the second half on WFAN.

Some time after 4pm, I am still listening to the game. On Illinois final drive, the horn was used every single play. Just maddening to hear. When I got home, I watched the final drive on Peacock replay to see the plays I listened to on WFAN. We all know what happened on the field. Yet, the horn was atrocious. Why the athletic department cannot stop this is worrisome - it costs nothing and would delight the fanbase. A simple fix is outside of the athletic department's capabilities.

Duration was 4 hours, 10 minutes. Should not take that long to play a 60 minute game. Before the game, I watched on Peacock Ireland play Fiji in rugby, an 80 minute game made up of 2 40-minute halves. Lots of injuries in rugby, just like football. The game took 2 hours, half of what the Rutgers game lasted.

I no longer bring my family to Rutgers games, with the exception of basketball at Madison Square Garden. They can't stand it. Went to an Islanders hockey game tonight. Much better experience. Done in 2.5 hours. Minimal lines. Horn only used for goals.

This
RU is sticking with this comical game day Operations. Any other B1G program would have sacked these amateurs long ago.

 

[RUskoolie]

We have the best parking situation in the country, bar none. Many in our fanbase are simply ignorant to the parking situations in other places. Michigan and Florida fans pay $20K for Scarlet Lot Parking. We pay $2K + the cost of the parking pass.

I know All. Thats why I laugh when people act like we are a Michigan or Florida. Our fanbase wants Vera Wang on a Walmart budget.

 

[jtung230]

I know All. Thats why I laugh when people act like we are a Michigan or Florida. Our fanbase wants Vera Wang on a Walmart budget.

Think Walmart sellls Vera Wang

 

[RUskoolie]

I think some people were not prepared for the wind/cold and got more and more uncomfortable as the game went on... but I think the game was also just too long for casual fans to just sit in wind and listen to nonsense from the loudspeakers.

As a total aside - wtf was with the Wicked trailer? They made Illinois the main character, and RU the side character.... in a story where the two of them start as rivals but end up as friends?

That had to be made by some Gen Z who probably thought it was so cool. That was the dorkiest shit I ever saw in the stadium.

 

[RUskoolie]

Think Walmart sellls Vera Wang

Lol proving my point thank you.

 

[rufeelinit]

the cannon clearly is an after thought the past decade. It had been a highlight of RU football. The horse needs to pick up its game..we have a horse yet it wont even make it past midfield and meekly comes out for tds. Marty who was the horse from 2017 to I think 2019 was the best horse ever better than Lord Nelson. Yes this white one is better than the travesty brown one that was uncontrollable but we need to fix the horse

I could not stop laughing at the comment that the horse needs to pick up its game! Maybe that is the marketing angle that is missing!

 

[R1766U]

I mean I do not know what the people of NJ and the Rutgers community wants. I get that Illinois is not a sexy name and a late season game vs a mediocre Michigan or USC would bring in 50K today. Overall attendance was okay..maybe approaching 40K-423Ktops, hard to tell... I sort of expected that. However my ire is what happened as the game wore on. Students showed up in huge numbers which is impressive but they started to filter out in the 3rd and inexplicably in a close game in the 4th, I would say we lost about 75% of the student sections. Not much better elsewhere. I think maybe 20-25K left in the stadium in such a dramatic down to the wire game. How is that possible? Look I get it was cold and windy but this was far from any of the coldest games..highs still were in the upper 40s yet peeps clueless dressed like it was comfortable fall day. Or maybe they just loved to get trashed and drink cold drinks all day and bombed which is definitely noticable. I get leaving early down 35-0, actually ahead...its a what the **** moment.

Just a shame to see tons of empties late in the game and lack of crowd noise on the previous Illinois drive where they took the lead. I think the constant use of the scoreboard music has neutered the ability of building any crowd noise. Great early in the game, not so much later.

Or is the reality we have a hardcore base of 20-25k and that is basically it. I tend think this is where I land. Not enough people care about RU football. We will always have this hardcore diehard base but beyond that, we will get a shit ton of fans for early season night games with big atmospheres but the following takes a hit game after game. I get the team went through a funk but my issue is if you are there already wouldnt you be interested in the outcome. Its apparent the students could care less about wins or losses besides that hardcore group you saw.

Its tough to grow a program when you simply lack the hardcore fanbase numbers the rest of the conference has. RU has been in the Big 10 a decade, mostly losing season but its apparent people may only care if the team is going 10-2 which seems very unrealistic so here we are. Getting 40-42K a game but yet half of them leaving before the game is over whether the team is losing or winning

I agree 100% and was talking about this same exact thing recently.


Also, we are breeding humans now with MINIMAL attention spans. Their brains need constant stimulation. With such a mediocre performance week after week, students and younger people are not going to tolerate sitting in the cold for 4 hours on a Saturday.

I am growing more and more confident we are doomed as a program.

I am 40 years old and honestly can’t stand sitting there listening to that blaring music non stop during a game stoppage every 5 minutes. I’m starting to much rather watch the game from the comfort of my home.

 

[RUbacker]

That twerp is keeping fans from attending games…the ear deafening noise throughout the game is out of control. Not enjoyable for many .

They are manufacturing noise because so many clueless lazy ass fans wont even stand on 3rd down . It’s embarrassing! What do you expect them to do ? Just let them sit on their fat asses and make it sound like a morgue in the stadium?

 

[Knight Shift]

I know All. Thats why I laugh when people act like we are a Michigan or Florida. Our fanbase wants Vera Wang on a Walmart budget.

Lol proving my point thank you.

Well, there were a bunch of Walmart Wolverine fans at SHI for the last RU Michigan game. So we have more in common with them now. We just need our own Connor Stalions to give us a competitive edge.

In fairness to our fans, paying $20K gets you real Vera Wang, and the customer is proud of the product on their back and on the field.

Rutgers gets a cheap imitation for 10% of the price at Walmart, and the product on their back and on the field is nowhere near the level of Michigan (well, maybe this year it is, or in 2014).

 

[RUTGERS95]

It was cold in the club seats too- wind was whipping. With multiple layers, a wool hat and hoodie up, it was cold. Heaters were not working. Yeah, cry me a river. We stayed until the missed FG, and left thinking Rutgers won the game, only to learn while going down the ramps that Greg call the TO and the TD happened. Was puzzled listening to the radio broadcast, thinking it was a fake FG.

Greg's record against B1G opponents at SHI may have something to do with attendance.
2021 -- 0-4, losing 52-13, 31-13, 52-3, 40-16
2022--1-4, losing 27-10, 14-13, 52-17, 55-10
2023-- 2-2, losing 35-16, 42-24
2024--2-3, losing 42-7, 35-32, 38-31

Overall, 5-13 at home over 4 seasons, never a winning record against B1G opponents. 2020 season excluded because stadium was empty.

sobering

 

[RUTGERS95]

I mean I do not know what the people of NJ and the Rutgers community wants. I get that Illinois is not a sexy name and a late season game vs a mediocre Michigan or USC would bring in 50K today. Overall attendance was okay..maybe approaching 40K-423Ktops, hard to tell... I sort of expected that. However my ire is what happened as the game wore on. Students showed up in huge numbers which is impressive but they started to filter out in the 3rd and inexplicably in a close game in the 4th, I would say we lost about 75% of the student sections. Not much better elsewhere. I think maybe 20-25K left in the stadium in such a dramatic down to the wire game. How is that possible? Look I get it was cold and windy but this was far from any of the coldest games..highs still were in the upper 40s yet peeps clueless dressed like it was comfortable fall day. Or maybe they just loved to get trashed and drink cold drinks all day and bombed which is definitely noticable. I get leaving early down 35-0, actually ahead...its a what the **** moment.

Just a shame to see tons of empties late in the game and lack of crowd noise on the previous Illinois drive where they took the lead. I think the constant use of the scoreboard music has neutered the ability of building any crowd noise. Great early in the game, not so much later.

Or is the reality we have a hardcore base of 20-25k and that is basically it. I tend think this is where I land. Not enough people care about RU football. We will always have this hardcore diehard base but beyond that, we will get a shit ton of fans for early season night games with big atmospheres but the following takes a hit game after game. I get the team went through a funk but my issue is if you are there already wouldnt you be interested in the outcome. Its apparent the students could care less about wins or losses besides that hardcore group you saw.

Its tough to grow a program when you simply lack the hardcore fanbase numbers the rest of the conference has. RU has been in the Big 10 a decade, mostly losing season but its apparent people may only care if the team is going 10-2 which seems very unrealistic so here we are. Getting 40-42K a game but yet half of them leaving before the game is over whether the team is losing or winning

Rutgers needs to do everything they can to make it easy to come to games. Rutgers doesn't foster any familial ties and seemingly, works against it with every decision. Getting to games sucks, parking without a season pass sucks, getting in is PIA and takes forever, the in game music is far from appealing, ticket prices are high for the product and in competing landscape, complete lack of marketing in state, and more.

RU needs to really evaluate the overall issue of getting people to games and start over

 

[RUTGERS95]

the cannon clearly is an after thought the past decade. It had been a highlight of RU football. The horse needs to pick up its game..we have a horse yet it wont even make it past midfield and meekly comes out for tds. Marty who was the horse from 2017 to I think 2019 was the best horse ever better than Lord Nelson. Yes this white one is better than the travesty brown one that was uncontrollable but we need to fix the horse

not wrong at all

 

[ashokan]

way too much music and the Ozzie stuff is brutal and now they have brought that to the RAC and the band is becoming obsolete in both venues.

Lol - watching on TV I was noticing all the Ozzie in the background - ALL ABOOOARD hahahha!!!
Kinda stale imo.

I can roll out of bed and be at an Army game in 30 minutes - and with free parking.
I just stopped going because of how long the interruptions are.
TV timeouts, replay timeouts, Army alumni awards - just lots of sitting/standing around .
Games are just better to watch on TV with all the cameras.
I've become a one live game a season fan - season tickets look like S&M to me now.

 

[TM514]

Well since we are pouring it on... this is an NFL market. There is the shore (it was a warm fall), NYC/ Philly activities , broadway theater, fall festivals, downtown's, etc.
12 Noon kickoff, I'm pulling out of Blue at 4:40pm.

 

[RUskoolie]

They are manufacturing noise because so many clueless lazy ass fans wont even stand on 3rd down . It’s embarrassing! What do you expect them to do ? Just let them sit on their fat asses and make it sound like a morgue in the stadium?

No one is going to yell when the train horn is blasting. It’s pointless, signed guy who yells on every third down.

 

[Local Shill]

It shouldn’t be difficult to have a conversation sitting next you, but it is at a Rutgers football game. Too much horn, too much nonstop music blasting.

 

[noble106]

Former season ticket holders, such as myself, and former regular game-goers have explained ad nauseam on these boards why they go less often or not at all anymore. It’s not all about the Ws and Ls but RU and many diehards don’t want to believe us and keep repeating “when we win they’ll come back.”

Well, the team is doing better and still the stands don’t fill or empty out. Why? Because we are gone and the ones who replaced us picked up cheap tickets for a game or two and aren’t interested in showing up early and staying until the end of four hour games.

So why won't more fans show up and represent then? This doesn't make sense.

 

[brgRC90]

Same complaints year after year after year. Win some meaningful games and provide exciting play and people will come and stay. If they aren't coming and staying it's because... you aren't winning meaningful games and providing exciting play.

 

[ScarletDog]

It shouldn’t be difficult to have a conversation sitting next you, but it is at a Rutgers football game. Too much horn, too much nonstop music blasting.

I answer the survey they send out every week and practically beg them to stop. They don’t care.

 

[jtung230]

It shouldn’t be difficult to have a conversation sitting next you, but it is at a Rutgers football game. Too much horn, too much nonstop music blasting.

There were so many stoppages and you couldn’t have a conversation during any of those times?

 

[bac2therac]

Im also thinking the idea of players getting paid is also seeping into the decision to bolt. Likely alot of small factors not just one thing

Game length though is being driven by $$$. Peeps are getting turned off

 

[RUPete]

It shouldn’t be difficult to have a conversation sitting next you, but it is at a Rutgers football game. Too much horn, too much nonstop music blasting.

Just before the half when we were inside the 10, the guy still wouldn't kill the music playing before every snap. Athan was cupping his hands around his helmet to try and hear what was coming through, then he was just looking to the sideline for instructions. I get that stadium music isn't going away, but grab a clue with some situational awareness. We're inside the 10, with limited time left trying to get an important score before the half. Do I need to hear Brown Eyed Girl at 100 decibels right up until the snap? Nothing against Van Morrison...

 

[jtung230]

Im also thinking the idea of players getting paid is also seeping into the decision to bolt. Likely alot of small factors not just one thing

Game length though is being driven by $$$. Peeps are getting turned off

don’t understand the correlation there. Fans (excluding students) didn’t leave early for Minny. I think it was the weather. A lot of people showed up unprepared

 

[RUPete]

Im also thinking the idea of players getting paid is also seeping into the decision to bolt. Likely alot of small factors not just one thing

Game length though is being driven by $$$. Peeps are getting turned off

That may factor in with a few people, but I really think @ashokan nailed it with the TV stoppages. As the TV contracts and payouts have grown, so has the need to pay the bills with extra ads that require longer breaks. It's brutal to sit through. Throw in the ear-splitting music to fill that time and you have a recipe for early exits or not coming at all. If I'm not mistaken, didn't Peacock take a couple of media timeouts on Saturday that had nothing to do with the flow of the game?

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Checking in on this string late. We were at the game as it was a rare occasion the kids weren’t tied up with their own sports commitments. They had a blast but were spent by the end of it. Just took so long and we had extended family dinner plans at 5. We actually got up to walk out twice.

First on the overturned pick that would’ve sealed the game for Illinois. We got to the exit door when the call was overturned. So then we stayed of course watching right from the exit. When they missed the FG we thought the game was over and so I raced to get my kids to use the bathroom before we headed out. I thought we were just taking a knee. Came out of the bathroom with fans walking out not smiling. We were so confused and of course the message was relayed quickly by other fans in transit to their cars. Talk about bummers.

 

[rurichdog]

There are so many media timeouts I guess college football will need even more rules changes "to speed up the game". It's comical at this point. That, and our players getting injured every series, requiring extensive training staff attention on the field. Maybe we need to call out the Gator earlier 🤔

 

[bac2therac]

Just before the half when we were inside the 10, the guy still wouldn't kill the music playing before every snap. Athan was cupping his hands around his helmet to try and hear what was coming through, then he was just looking to the sideline for instructions. I get that stadium music isn't going away, but grab a clue with some situational awareness. We're inside the 10, with limited time left trying to get an important score before the half. Do I need to hear Brown Eyed Girl at 100 decibels right up until the snap? Nothing against Van Morrison...

there were idiot fans doing an ru chant at that time on that last possession or two..i was like wtf

 

[bac2therac]

don’t understand the correlation there. Fans (excluding students) didn’t leave early for Minny. I think it was the weather. A lot of people showed up unprepared

yeah but I dont know why people were surprised. I mean we had summer all the way through the first week of November but it was freezing cold on thursday and friday, you think people would know how to dress by now..amateurs...I think Numbers underplayed the cold and wind in the weather thread so blame him

 

[tico brown]

i have to agree that for some reason fans leave at halftime or start of fourth quarter in a game Rutgers is winning and/or close. Is it to beat the traffic? Also, depending on the opponent the stands are filled with more vistors/alumni of opponents and dont think Illinois had many fans.... ...
Frankly, today the crowd noise was not great, maybe cause of the weather and everyone was in jackets.. , The excessive DJ playing after every down is starting to finally turn me off. Its just too much, i don't need to be told on a 2nd down in the 2rd quater when Rutgers is on defense to Make Some Noise...save if for 3rd down please.....It seems over produced now with so much music. enough withh the horn and Ozzie...need to think of something new ..why cant the band play a few verses once in awhile?..
Of all the games this year, i thought this was the best game of the year, but the worst production.....

💯 Post of the Month

 

[bac2therac]

also COST

now the boardwalk is a great idea but if you are bringing your family wife and kids have you seen the prices at the food trucks. Then inside you are paying $10 for pretzels, $5 for water or whatever it is, how much were the hot chocolates and coffees? This isnt a Rutgers specific thing. Its really something probably in the past decade exploded. Prices went from managable at games and concerts to VERY EXPENSIVE across the boards. Its really infuriating when you go to PNC for a concert and are already paying 150 for a ticket and then paying $22 for a drink.

What I think is the live events now which used to be affordable for families and regular folk are now being priced so high to affluence and those who dont fit into that catagory are happy with just splurging on a game or two a year...makes more sense actually. In Rutgers case there just isnt enough fanbase that cares to pull from given people are cutting back on attending live events

With everything on tv or streaming on your phone I think in general live events are losing their place. The idea of sitting through 7 4 hour football games a year but only 2 of them against decent opponents isnt worth the time and money and the demographic in NJ just isnt interested in blind support.

 

[ScarletDog]

There were so many stoppages and you couldn’t have a conversation during any of those times?

The noise level from the scoreboard makes it nearly impossible. Rutgers thinks we need to be entertained with ear breaking sound every second. It’s beyond ridiculous. Takes a lot of the fun out of the game.

 

[Knight Shift]

yeah but I dont know why people were surprised. I mean we had summer all the way through the first week of November but it was freezing cold on thursday and friday, you think people would know how to dress by now..amateurs...I think Numbers underplayed the cold and wind in the weather thread so blame him

Fair point about the sudden cold snap. People have short attention spans and did not prepare. I was cold during the Minnesota game, and I was sure to bring layers, a wool hat and gloves to the Illinois game. @RU848789 was probably in cargo shorts and a tank top and not cold at all.