One stat that popped for me was the average number of students attending football games was the highest on record.  It shows that students are, contrary to what some might think, are interested in our team.

Good to see. You'll certainly never see this make the NEWS or Post, but it's nice to see the real story. As MAC schools go, we're doing darned well.

The student attendance is particularly impressive. I doubt any other MAC school averages that many students at football and men's basketball games. Heck, some schools don't average that many in total fans! As much as we old fuddy-duddys complain about student support, we're doing great in that respect. Just think if we really could get to the point of consistently winning.

Attendance as a whole this year was very good. There were times that I went to a game and was legitimately surprised with the turnout. As much as the opponent was berated, the Wofford football game was packed. The Akron basketball game was the biggest mid-week crowd I've seen since the days of Trent. Even the "other" sports had some great crowds...I was shocked at how well baseball was drawing when I went out to a couple games this season.

Does this suggest a little fudging?

I was told years ago by a friend in college athletics (not at Ohio) that there is no such thing as a legit attendance figure...they're pretty much all inflated. In fact, he said that most schools fudge their stadium capacity too. I've heard that Michigan's actual capacity is more around 97,000 (as compared to a listed 110,000).

We're not alone in these games. Exaggerating numbers is just keeping up with the Joneses...

What? Those numbers were up 29%. We led the MAC in that category.

LC, I did not read the report and obviously miss-read up sans comment regarding merchandising. Sorry for making an ill-informed post. Attendance has definitely been on the up swing and I hope it continues to the point we no longer need to devalue our product by giving away seats and deep discounts.

Peden Stadium if you count actual seats is only 22,000. The reason why Ohio lists the capacity at 24,000 is because its including Victory Hill in those numbers. The crowds though have been as high as 24,500. I personally would like to see the capacity listed at 25,000.

In recent years the Bobcat Rep and Bobcat Club programs along with the Carvaning has reached alumni. I don't really see much in the way of trying to improve corporate ticket sales. Theoretically you could go across the state finding companies willing to distribute 100 tickets to employees upon the purchase of a corporate tent. I would like to see a corporate tent park which could go along with an expanded RV park in the fair grounds. It doesn't seem like it but the fairgrounds are very walkable from Peden Stadium. 

Focusing on the region is a lots cause when it comes to corporate development. I could see an effort to target the plants along the Ohio River where people are making good wages. As much as I would like to see fans from Hocking County at the football games for 29 dollars per season the real potential is marketing this program statewide to lineup corporations for a company sponsored game in Peden Stadium. With the new 33 bypass in place next year Columbus should be fair game. If you can get 20 companies per game giving out 100 tickets that is another 2,000 people in the Stadium each week. 

I totally have to agree with you there about the Ohio River strategy. There is a lot of corporate money and they don't have any other close D1 schools to share it with. This also ties back into my basketball scheduling strategy where Ohio would play WVU and Pitt on the road every year along with those 1 for 1's with Marshall and Duquense to establish a regular presence along the Ohio River as a significant D1 team. With the price of gas the way it is people from Parkersburg area will travel for an Ohio game because it is closer. If you take the area of the state of Ohio between I-75 & I-77 and then south of the Ohio Turnpike there are a lot of smaller manufacturing companies in rural towns that could take their employees down to Athens once a year. The school doesn't have to be a Southeast Ohio University and focus all the effort along the U.S. 33 cooridor. Now I think there are some places in Ohio like Defiance or Ashtabula that are too far away to bother with but any significant company within a three hour drive should be looked at. Portsmouth, Parkersburg, Columbus, Mansfield, Dayton, Cincinnati, Canton, Wheeling. There is a lot of territory there that I don't think any other MAC school would have a prayer of marketing to but OU would actually have a chance with 100,000 alumni spread evenly across the state.

Will people from West Virginia much support a school with 'Ohio' in it's name?

 

Not any more.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe once you leave Albany in western Athens County, the next stop light you encounter is the in eastern suburbs of Cincinnati.  I'll bet you haven't driven Rt. 32 since they completed the section around and under Rt. 23, which was a mess.