For a while the visiting fans got sections 12-14 to prevent that, but it split the O Zone in half.

Now we are talking, improve the fan experience and expand. This would get us at 31-32k. Would be huge!!!!

If you want a more raucous crowd, bigger crowds, etc..., the solution is not that complicated. Put a better product on the field. It's hard to get pumped up for mediocrity. I'm fairly certain that, if you took the time to look this up, you'd find a direct correlation between winning and attendance. Let's face the facts here. As much as we want to think the culture around Ohio football has changed, and maybe it has a little, I think most of the logical fan base still does not expect big things from this program. It's not about national relevancy, forget that. How about MAC relevancy? If this team had a realistic shot to go to Detroit and win year in and year out, I think you'd see a difference in attendance and atmosphere. It's true, as bad as the East is this year, we may make it to Detroit. And I would bet that no realistic fan would give us a snowball's chance in he** to beat Western (or Toledo). I make it to about every football game at home, and I can tell you my honest feeling about Ohio football: I refuse to get too invested in the program. I have been coming to games since the late 90's when I was attending Ohio, and I don't think much has changed. We win a few more games, but we lose so many head-scratching games in so many disappointing ways, it's impossible for me to get optimistic about this program. Games like homecoming a few years back to Central Michigan when all we had to do was field a punt. At Miami a few years ago with Tettleton, a game we had no business losing. Losing at home to Texas State, whose other win this year is over Incarnate Word. Incarnate. Word. I see talent in areas on the field right now, but at the end of the day, it's still Ohio football. Stale mediocrity. Hoping for a crappy bowl game as the 4th or 5th best team in the MAC that we will most likely lose on national TV.

At least it's almost basketball season.

If you can't be great, be interesting.

I've always been in favor of MAC football becoming a Barnum & Bailey-type venture. Have the product look more like the Big 12 — 70 passes per team. Bad defense. I'm okay if the MAC is not terribly competitive on the national stage but becomes its own regional oddity of insane scores and wild finishes.

The whole #MACtion thing took off because Toledo and NIU played in the middle of the week on national television, scored a gazillion points and had wild endings, not because it was upper-echelon football. Use what you've got and scrap the stuff that's derivative of what the big boys do.

Find something that Ohio and MAC football can be that no one else in the country offers.

Or, make it better, and charge more because the demand is higher.

Maybe it's the sound system but you don't hear O$U scores over the PA; not given so there is no reaction.

I would guess that depends on the scale of the renovation. A big renovation could potentially be more expensive than starting from scratch. There may also be issues with meeting modern code that will add significant cost to a renovation.

Otherwise, I'm with you and would prefer a renovation to a demolition/rebuild. The cost to build an architecturally acceptable new stadium would likely be staggering.

And as has been noted in other threads, our "crowds" are hardly demanding a new stadium. They're far more likely to demand that you sit down. You're blocking their view of the field!

Something like that. I still hope we play some defense.

But note that this is thinking...strategy. So, no particular cost to it unlike stadium expansion or renovation.

I was taking a shot at the enthusiasm of our crowds, not the size. However, even given 23,000 in attendance, how much of that crowd is still in attendance at halftime or by the 3rd quarter? If we average 23,000 at kickoff, what do we average at 2nd-half kickoff? Here's a wild guess: maybe 10,000? Hard to justify stadium expansion based on that.

No, I don't completely disagree. However, I do think crowd enthusiasm is an important factor in predicting future growth. The mass exodus seems to indicate tepid fan support. If I'm playing the odds (with my own money) on future fan growth, that behavior causes me great concern. Now, if I'm betting Monroe's money, I say build it!

Good one, Robert!

Thank you BEG. I have purposely NOT made many comments on this board because I am also a player parent. BEG's observations mirror mine. I travel a long way to attend home games. My son has had a great experience at OU (senior).
I have been introduced to other parents who are absolutely amazing and support their son and the team's efforts. I do appreciate the lack of player specific criticism placed on the message board. Maybe they are edited - if so, this is appropriate.

The dance team is really good and I enjoy watching them much more than the cheerleaders. Why don't they dance move around to different parts of the stadium?
The cheerleaders push-ups after touchdowns are dumb but probably tradition - but they really suck at it. The cheerleaders spend most of their time in front of the player parents. We already cheer!! Put their efforts to a different part of the stadium where it will make a difference.

I have read the comments over & over about the small scoreboard/video screen. It's insane how small it is. Seriously - just something we can actually see!!

The contests during the timeouts, etc are sophomoric. Really - rolling in a bag?

I'm not that picky about the concessions or the restrooms, but can see where upgrades would be beneficial.

Yes - the band is amazing. I mean really amazing. OU should be and rightfully so, proud of this band. That being said, if you think the players don't notice the students disappear for the 2nd half - you are wrong. It's a disgrace.

I doubt I will post again. I have enjoyed the Pollyanna posts and groan when I read the Eeyore (aka Monroe) posts. I realize this is a place to voice opinions, but these boys put in a lot of effort and hard work into this sport. They don't want to lose either.
Drop Mike.

Warning - rambling post from crazy old Bobcat fan follows:

First off, I love my game days in Athens and wouldn't trade them for anyplace else...even with our shortcomings.

That being said, and I know I'm beating a dead horse, video board and audio replacement should be a no-brainer. Just do it, already. Fiami's puts ours to shame, even though they only put about 150 butts in the student section seats for their game against us.

Secondly, contests during the breaks are supposed to be sophomoric (that's the whole point), and my Bobcats and I find cheerleader pushup suckage tremendously entertaining (disclaimer - some of them do rock the pushups).

Thirdly, I agree that the way to improve fan enthusiasm if by fielding an exciting team. The most fun I can recall having at a home game is the 2011 blackout against Temple. We didn't have a great record, but both teams were in the hunt, televised on big ESPN, a correctly scheduled (night) blackout, and a heck of an exciting game with plenty of offensive fireworks and a lot of back and forth. Peden was rocking.

Suspend the reality of money for a moment, say we WERE to replace Peden. I would see schedule and location as being challenging constraints. We couldn't afford a schedule gap between Old Peden and New Peden, as we play in Athens (no alternate stadium available, unlike UC with Paul Brown as a backup location). So, if we wanted to keep the current location (probably the best location), we would have to raze Old Peden and have New ready in 9 months! Seems high risk at best, unexecutable most likely. There's no room between the IPF and Ping, so that leaves two viable alternatives. The first would be to put New Peden over top the golf course - Gasp! One could then move the golf course to the area vacated by the razing of "new" south green. Or, New Peden could be located at the south green location (which would put a decent distance between it and the IPF)...