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Hobbs to Look at Football Game Day Experience

Present the Alma Mater in a more respectful way. Right now we have national anthem which then sparks an RU chant immediately after and then no one hears the Alma Mater. The only time this doesn't occur is when the Glee Club is present because people stop to listen. I don't know how to fix it, but something needs to happen between the songs to let people chant and then acknowledge that the Alma Mater is being played. Maybe have the sing-a-long led each week by a different RU celeb. I don't know. It just makes me crazy.
 
I will never go back to Foxborogh for a PATS games. Because of the TV timeouts they need to keep the people occupied/distracted. So they pump in music so loud to keep your mind off the waiting. Throw in 3rd down music (Hey, you need to wake up people in the stands because they falling asleep during those commericials), live games are becoming so not enjoyable. Giant games like this?

The flow of games are now a lost art. All momentum is stopped.

Or course AD's need to turn football game into circus. Its not about the game. Its about selling ads for the people watching on TV. Plus selling ads behind home plate, on every inch of wall space, inside the dugout, around football field, off the upper deck - soon to be NBA jerseys.

Anyone else beginning to find sporting events maddening?

Agree with this and why I dropped my Jets tix at Meadowlands. So many stoppages of play that it was kind of boring to be watching a live event. At least at home or in a sports bar there are other games to follow during the play stoppage in the primary game.
 
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Alma mater before the national anthem. 90% of Rutgers fans sit down after The Star Spangled Banner sitting for On the Banks of the Old Raritan.
 
More Game of Thrones feel to stadium play opening sound track ....with tag line " football is coming". New south end zone needs banners blowing next scoreboard. Would love to see Knight on horse with jousting Lance with opponent mascot image impaled.
 
the game day experience is dictated by how competitive the team is...last year the atmosphere generally sucked which reflected the team and coaching staff

little tweaks wont make much of a difference...winning will, its the only way the students are going to be onboard in this day and age when they have an alternative to either watch the game from their rooms while they fiddle with their smartphone and text each other
 
Go back to the NFL films music for "Knights in the NFL" segment. Back when we used that music even the visiting teams would watch the big screen when it came on!
I think there was a legal issue which is why we stopped using it.
 
I will never go back to Foxborogh for a PATS games. Because of the TV timeouts they need to keep the people occupied/distracted. So they pump in music so loud to keep your mind off the waiting. Throw in 3rd down music (Hey, you need to wake up people in the stands because they falling asleep during those commericials), live games are becoming so not enjoyable. Giant games like this?

The flow of games are now a lost art. All momentum is stopped.

Or course AD's need to turn football game into circus. Its not about the game. Its about selling ads for the people watching on TV. Plus selling ads behind home plate, on every inch of wall space, inside the dugout, around football field, off the upper deck - soon to be NBA jerseys.

Anyone else beginning to find sporting events maddening?

It also adds to the time these games take, which is way too long. Football and basketball are becoming like baseball. It's refreshing watching soccer games now. 2 hours max.
 
Hearing more college band and less piped in music would be a nice change.

Hopefully after this year he can work to attract the students back to tailgating on Busch so we can have a full student section again. What a debacle that turned into the past 2 years.
We need a decent band first
 
I have been to a lot of Rutgers road games...and I will tell you its pretty damn good.

You need to get individual tastes out it. Everyone has preference on music, as an example.

What would improve the game day experience are the following

1.) Getting cell phone receiption fixed. This would be huge for social media

2.) Finding a way to get traffic on River Road to flow better. Its not bad...but could be a lot better. And yes, I know a predestrian bridge is not an option. Post game is a disaster.



If you think about where we were 10 years ago to now...it has got a lot better
1.) Scoreboard (Getting that 2nd jumbotron up would even more amazing)
2.) 10,000 seats and club seats
3.) Much better sound system (it still needs to be better)
4.) Ribbon Scoreboards
5.) Wider north concourse
6.) Much more options in concessions (thought quality was better but still has room for improvement)
7.) Concession people bring basic food and drinks through the aisle of different sections

I think its pretty good now...just need some minor tweeks....
 
I don't get the whole 'experience ' thing . I just want to be able to park, tailgate , watch rutgers win and exit .

I know this is the way society is going with the experience at games that it has to be about everything other than the game . Gone are the days of going to a game to you know actually watch a game . The tv timeouts are brutal but nothing Hobbs can do about that
 
I don't get the whole 'experience ' thing . I just want to be able to park, tailgate , watch rutgers win and exit

Parking, tailgating, watching the game, and exiting are all part of the "experience". You might not get the "experience thing", but you certainly experience it. It is what makes watching the game more or less enjoyable.

If they had everyone park in a parking deck, where you couldn't grill for your tailgate, that would impact your experience.

If the stadium had one restroom, with a 2 hour line, that would impact your experience.

If the stadium had a bunch of posts in front of you so you could only see half the field, that would impact your experience.

So just as there are a bunch of things that can clearly make your game-day experience worse, Hobbs wants to know what can make it better.
 
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Yes, I don't need to see that Oregon is playing Utah at 11pm over and over and over again. Scores of actual games in progress would be better even if they don't happen to be Big Ten or Top 25.
I agree with this. Instead of Top 25 games that haven't even started yet or that already ended, just do the Big Ten games (for obvious reasons) and games currently going on/just about to start.
 
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Yes, that was pointed out to me by Leonard.

But Hobbs is looking at what changes he can make to improve the gameday experience.

While allowing for full stadium wifi is probably cost prohibitive, I think it's at least worth exploring wifi access on a limited scale as an incentive for filling the stadium early.

For sure those students will pack in early for free wifi...
Free WiFi is a must anymore. Social media would be on fire before, during, and after games. This should be priority one.
 
too much fluff these days. The whole concept of a "game day experience" kinda turns my stomach.

I just wish they wouldnt treat the fans as an object that needs to be processed. Let us handle ourselves. Students should decide for themselves what to do with alcohol - let them learn and be adults for crying out loud. BIG BRO IS RUINING THINGS, NOT IMPROVING THINGS.

This university and stadium and everything else belongs to the people. Give it to them!
 
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Parking, tailgating, watching the game, and exiting are all part of the "experience". You might not get the "experience thing", but you certainly experience it. It is what makes watching the game more or less enjoyable.

If they had everyone park in a parking deck, where you couldn't grill for your tailgate, that would impact your experience.

If the stadium had one restroom, with a 2 hour line, that would impact your experience.

If the stadium had a bunch of posts in front of you so you could only see half the field, that would impact your experience.

So just as there are a bunch of things that can clearly make your game-day experience worse, Hobbs wants to know what can make it better.

Yes , I get your post and your totally right . I was referring more to the in-game experience where there are so many distractions and piped in crap.
One thing I miss is the announcement of the out of town scores . I know they posted on the scoreboard , but I enjoyed the ooohs and aaaahs of an announcement like Northwestern 21, penn state 0. Loud cheer to follow !
 
Let's bring the team out to Born to Run by Bruce for some NJ flavor?
How is there not at least a highlight video for the ground game once a year, scored to this -- even ironically, if Bruce seems a little antediluvian for your stadium music tastes?

Also, install dedicated exterior water/AC hookups and license Grease Truck parking positions along Sutphen.

Football team should sing "Loyal Sons" to the fans at the end of the game, not the Alma Mater.
 
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also.too many jurisdictions of law enforcement departments on game day ..with not all on the same page regarding "what is to be enforced"..some are "over the top "in lot enforcement for minor B.S...some are normal,only attending to 'problems' .Ive been to Ohio State and Michigan tailgates and there is never the over the top enforcement police presence there in the lots,..this uneven enforcement is driving the students from showing up before the games..or not showing up at all..Pernetti used to be active on social media and accessible and responded to these game day problems if alerted..since Hermann and now Hobbs..there dosent seem to be a way to get these game day problems adressed.(granted Football games have Not started for hobbs..but dont see him on social media)
 
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Some suggestions for Hobbs:

  • Enhance collegiate atmosphere. That means less stuff that you minor league ballparks and less piped-in music. That means more from the band and more having cheerleaders lead cheers. Others here can suggest other things that enhance the collegiate atmosphere.
  • Shorter concession lines. Especially with noon games in early September, a lot of people miss a lot of the game because they are standing on the concourse to buy a cold drink. With "drinks only" concession booths selling cold bottled water and soda, you can get a drink a lot faster than having to wait in a line for food and drink. Better efficiency training of the concession workers would help too, but it might be hard to accomplish this in time for the first game.
  • More bathrooms. (Yes, I know this won't be done by Sept, but it is a huge problem, especially for the west stands.)
  • More TVs on the concourse (and in the cooling stations for the early Sept games). Although shorter conession lines and more bathrooms will help people get back to their seatss to watch the game, there are still times you will be on the concourse (or in the cooling stations for early Sept games). TVs will help you continue to watch the game.

Winning is way more important than any of these things, but since we have a thread on it...

Disagree with #1. I'd get rid of the band completely and have all piped in music (with a better sound system) - I know I'm in the minority, but marching bands do nothing for me.

Agree with 2-4. With regard to the bathrooms, at least upstairs, they're designed very badly, as the walls on the left and right as you walk in and exit are empty - they could have several more urinals, so there'd be much smaller lines, if any. And I have no idea why they have so many sinks - you know you have too many sinks when there are huge lines for the urinals and no lines for the sinks.
 
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Fix the band.
By fix if you mean make bigger...agree. Musically they sound more than fine. Just need more of them. A B1G amount more of them.

Sell beeeeeeerrrrrr!!!!

Stop after halftime
Already beer available in spots outside and inside the Stadium. Soon to be more whenever the luxury boxes go in.

We need a decent band first
Decent size. They sound fine, just need more of them.

I have been to a lot of Rutgers road games...and I will tell you its pretty damn good.

What would improve the game day experience are the following

1.) Getting cell phone reception fixed. This would be huge for social media

2.) Finding a way to get traffic on River Road to flow better. Its not bad...but could be a lot better. And yes, I know a pedestrian bridge is not an option. Post game is a disaster.

If you think about where we were 10 years ago to now...it has got a lot better
1.) Scoreboard (Getting that 2nd jumbotron up would even more amazing)
2.) 10,000 seats and club seats
3.) Much better sound system (it still needs to be better)
4.) Ribbon Scoreboards
5.) Wider north concourse
6.) Much more options in concessions (thought quality was better but still has room for improvement)
7.) Concession people bring basic food and drinks through the aisle of different sections

I think its pretty good now...just need some minor tweeks....
Since River Road is a County road not sure if we have the authority to do it but I would love for Rutgers, Middlesex County and Piscataway to be on the same page and close it to commercial and non-game going traffic from the either Rte 18 or Landing Lane on one side and Hoes Lane on the other.

And Shack is right...we have it pretty good already, just need a few tweaks.

Fix the band.
See above.

Sell Beer..
See above.

Yes , I get your post and your totally right . I was referring more to the in-game experience where there are so many distractions and piped in crap.
One thing I miss is the announcement of the out of town scores . I know they posted on the scoreboard , but I enjoyed the ooohs and aaaahs of an announcement like Northwestern 21, penn state 0. Loud cheer to follow !
Stuff like that should ALWAYS be done at a college game.

Also, install dedicated exterior water/AC hookups and license Grease Truck parking positions along Sutphen.

Football team should sing "Loyal Sons" to the fans at the end of the game, not the Alma Mater.
They should auction off a Grease Truck medallion (like they do for Taxis in NYC) and have the winner INSIDE (where the cannon was erroneously placed after the addition) the Stadium for the season or week to week...along with your idea of having them along Sutphen.

And keep the Alma Mater after the game...the CORRECT Alma Mater.

also.too many jurisdictions of law enforcement departments on game day ..with not all on the same page regarding "what is to be enforced"..some are "over the top "in lot enforcement for minor B.S...some are normal,only attending to 'problems' .Ive been to Ohio State and Michigan tailgates and there is never the over the top enforcement police presence there in the lots,..this uneven enforcement is driving the students from showing up before the games..or not showing up at all..Pernetti used to be active on social media and accessible and responded to these game day problems if alerted..since Hermann and now Hobbs..there doesn't seem to be a way to get these game day problems addressed.(granted Football games have Not started for Hobbs..but don't see him on social media)
The cop thing is because in Rutgers estimate, they don't have enough of their own to do the job they way they feel needs to be done.

I have said numerous times how I feel about the amount of Middlesex County Sheriffs Deputies we see on game-day but they are the closest with the most-est.
 
Some suggestions for Hobbs:

  • Enhance collegiate atmosphere. That means less stuff that you minor league ballparks and less piped-in music. That means more from the band and more having cheerleaders lead cheers. Others here can suggest other things that enhance the collegiate atmosphere.
  • Shorter concession lines. Especially with noon games in early September, a lot of people miss a lot of the game because they are standing on the concourse to buy a cold drink. With "drinks only" concession booths selling cold bottled water and soda, you can get a drink a lot faster than having to wait in a line for food and drink. Better efficiency training of the concession workers would help too, but it might be hard to accomplish this in time for the first game.
  • More bathrooms. (Yes, I know this won't be done by Sept, but it is a huge problem, especially for the west stands.)
  • More TVs on the concourse (and in the cooling stations for the early Sept games). Although shorter conession lines and more bathrooms will help people get back to their seatss to watch the game, there are still times you will be on the concourse (or in the cooling stations for early Sept games). TVs will help you continue to watch the game.

How many bathroom trips does the average male RUFB season ticket holder make per game?

The older fans and their enlarged prostates bumps that number up I'm sure and mix in the booze consumption from the lots.
 
How many bathroom trips does the average male RUFB season ticket holder make per game?

The older fans and their enlarged prostates bumps that number up I'm sure and mix in the booze consumption from the lots.

I have no idea, nor does it make sense to even try to estimate it. The fact that there are long lines (often 20 minutes or longer) for the men's rest rooms on the west concourse (even with those rest rooms supplemented by port-a-potties on the concourse) is proof enough that the current number of rest rooms is not sufficient to handle the crowd.
 
How many bathroom trips does the average male RUFB season ticket holder make per game?

The older fans and their enlarged prostates bumps that number up I'm sure and mix in the booze consumption from the lots.

I have no idea, nor does it make sense to even try to estimate it. The fact that there are long lines (often 20 minutes or longer) for the men's rest rooms on the west concourse (even with those rest rooms supplemented by port-a-potties on the concourse) is proof enough that the current number of rest rooms is not sufficient to handle the crowd.
And for those of you who want beer, can't get to there until this is fixed.
 
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Especially with a student section the size of ours. They alone would blow us up!
Except it's a rarity when they fill up their section, even more so before the game starts.
By fix (THE BAND) if you mean make bigger...agree. Musically they sound more than fine. Just need more of them. A B1G amount more of them.
Okay, agree and disagree with this. Yes, they need to get bigger, which will hopefully happen once there's a change at the top. Musically, they don't sound fine, because of their selection of music (not the band members' fault, refer to my first comment) and their timing in playing while in the stands (same). In addition, they're mic'ed up while in the stands, which means their sound comes through that godawful sound system, sometimes resulting in their sound going to one side of the stadium, or sometimes phasing or other issues. Another problem is their halftime shows are just dreadful - again, not the band members' fault in the slightest, but leadership's fault. Boring, not a lot of movement, too much park and bark, etc. I could go on, but I'm flogging a dead horse.
 
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