G5 Fandom Can Feel Futile

[SpaceRaider]

article was linked on the cusa board:

"...As fans of economically challenged programs, we're often criticized for failing to meet outlandish standards set by Privileged Programs. If we don't sell out our stadiums on Tuesday nights, we're failures. If we can't pay an assistant coach a million dollars, we're failures. If our weight room isn't nicer than Club Med, we're failures. Not surprisingly, many G5 students take the easy route and cheer for P5 programs....."


Confessions of G5 Groupies in a Power Five World

 

[MTFNBY5]

DAMN GOOD ARTICLE!!!

Read it, more than once if necessary, and understand we aren't the only ones fighting the battle. (and virtually every battle mentioned in the article, except the UAB losing FB part, MT faces)

And be proud that you are one of the few unique individuals who is loyal to his/her school.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

If the degree hangs on your wall, the flag flies on your car!

I loathe all the MT grads that wear orange and bypass Floyd stadium to go to Knoxville. I wish we could win more of them over.

 

[T2Tool]

If the degree hangs on your wall, the flag flies on your car!

I loathe all the MT grads that wear orange and bypass Floyd stadium to go to Knoxville. I wish we could win more of them over.

I just ask this to play devil's advocate a little bit since on another thread there are complaints about attendance.

If those MT grads who cheer for UT would attend 2 games per year - while still keeping UT as their favorite team - would you welcome them? They would help the attendance numbers and be s butt in the stands, but they wouldn't be "true blue" fans.

I ask because it seems to me a lot of MT fans insist it has to be one or the other. I think the main thing MT needs to begin moving forward is to attract the casual fan in Middle Tennessee. Then if we can build excitement maybe some of those fans will start to change allegiances. But if we don't welcome them in the first place we will never know.

 

[sWiley]

I just ask this to play devil's advocate a little bit since on another thread there are complaints about attendance.

If those MT grads who cheer for UT would attend 2 games per year - while still keeping UT as their favorite team - would you welcome them? They would help the attendance numbers and be s butt in the stands, but they wouldn't be "true blue" fans.

I ask because it seems to me a lot of MT fans insist it has to be one or the other. I think the main thing MT needs to begin moving forward is to attract the casual fan in Middle Tennessee. Then if we can build excitement maybe some of those fans will start to change allegiances. But if we don't welcome them in the first place we will never know.

Not really, because they'd probably be watching the UT game while in the stadium.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

I just ask this to play devil's advocate a little bit since on another thread there are complaints about attendance.

If those MT grads who cheer for UT would attend 2 games per year - while still keeping UT as their favorite team - would you welcome them? They would help the attendance numbers and be s butt in the stands, but they wouldn't be "true blue" fans.

I ask because it seems to me a lot of MT fans insist it has to be one or the other. I think the main thing MT needs to begin moving forward is to attract the casual fan in Middle Tennessee. Then if we can build excitement maybe some of those fans will start to change allegiances. But if we don't welcome them in the first place we will never know.

I would take what we could get...I am not gonna say don't come. But many of them are looking for something that we could create - it just takes support, a lot less than what UTK requires.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Sidelines article

 

[RaiderDoug]

Sidelines article

I'm always a little wary of the "blame the consumer" attitude when a product doesn't sell.

Especially in the entertainment market. If MTSU football was a movie, it's one that we've seen over and over and over again for 10 years - beat a few middling/down teams, don't even bother to show up against good teams or in the spotlight, "moral victories" instead of actual victories. Not bad. Not really good.

Maybe they need to look at the product.

The 25k+ proves that people will show up when you give them a reason to.

 

[MT Glenn]

Sidelines article

I disagree with the statement "For starters, leave the orange at home." For starters, just come to a game and we'll worry about your fashion choices later. Somebody dressed in orange would be a lot better than all these folks we currently have, that come dressed as aluminum bleachers.

 

[TeKEraider]

I disagree with the statement "For starters, leave the orange at home." For starters, just come to a game and we'll worry about your fashion choices later. Somebody dressed in orange would be a lot better than all these folks we currently have, that come dressed as aluminum bleachers.

I would agree if this were a dnj article trying to encourage the community to come but the target here is students. I love that there is pressure to only support MT among the students. I loved the "Raider Traitor" videos from this year. I love the "take it off" chants at the basketball games. That is the kind of pride we need our students to have if we want to move this thing forward. Then they turn in to alums with pride. If they get through school with luke warm feelings for Middle and duel allegiances we will continue losing the battle. They will be gone and back to wearing orange once they graduate and get inundated with P5 coverage.

 

[FranklinRaider315]

I ALWAYS wear MT apparel when I attend games.