Students vs. Alumni

[moe 0]

I would like to thank and congratulate the students for coming out at 11:30 in the morning and in the hot sun to support our Tigers. I however am not happy with the alumni/fans. Up until 5 minutes till game time there were still a plethora of seats left. I really was surprised to arrive at the student gate at 9:15 to find there were a lot (not near as many for the g.tech game though) of students already waiting.

I would just like to encourage the alumni and other fans to come support the football team. If students, who have crazy schedules as it is can do it, so can you.

[rexbo 104]

Wonder how many choose to stay away because of gas? Down here in the panhandle still more than half the gas stations are without gas. More likely though, some fans feeling let down from the 1st game...

[AUHansel 0]

what about the seats in the upper deck normally for the away team that were completely empty? i didn't really understand that.

[BustemBigBlue 222]

I was at the game and was a little surpised at how few people there were in the upper deck. I know it's MSU but it was the SEC opener and a crucial game coming off the loss. I sat in the lower part of section 6 around a bunch of old alums and I could tell they were getting irritated by me standing up and yelling the whole game. It seems they like to sit quietly and "golf clap" after big plays.

[moe 0]

Wonder how many choose to stay away because of gas?  Down here in the panhandle still more than half the gas stations are without gas.  More likely though, some fans feeling let down from the 1st game...

180402[/snapback]

oh good call, I didn't even think to take that into account

[tgr4lfe 220]

I was kind of perturbed by the lack of turnout for the SEC home opener. I wasn't suprised by the lack of turnout by MSU fans. From what I hear from my little bro in Columbus, MS, they are not very supportive of the team right now.

The lack of turnout by Auburn faithful was horrible!!! I think attendance was 81,000 something. Like 6,000 empty seats!!!!!! Come on AUBURN, come support your Tigers!!! If you are not going to come to the game, sell or give your tickets to someone. I have folks you would use them!!!

[vatz22au 145]

Im gonna have to say the fan support during the games is very crappy. When I am watching the game, I stand all game with fellow students. When the band plays, we shake our shakers...when chants are yelled, we chant them too. Its sorta sad when I see the band playing, the students shaking their shakers...and I look around the whole stadium and see about 65,000 stiffs. What happened to the energetic fan base that seemed to be at every game last year?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Frankly I'm glad some of the fair weather Auburn fans I head mouthing off after the GT game didn't show up this week.

[SLAG-91 1,625]

I don't imagine it's going to be any different for the next two ball games...Ball State and WKU aren't exactly prime-time opposition and I never really enjoyed watching pre-arranged asskickings like those will be.

I'd say 6K empty seats isn't too bad for a televised early game (I detested those 11:30 AM kickoffs as a student and I haven't changed any) against an inferior opponent, albeit a conference opponent. As others have said, gas is definitely still an issue for people, both in price and availability.

[mamaslove 0]

I would like to thank and congratulate the students for coming out at 11:30 in the morning and in the hot sun to support our Tigers.  I however am not happy with the alumni/fans.  Up until 5 minutes till game time there were still a plethora of seats left.  I really was surprised to arrive at the student gate at 9:15 to find there were a lot (not near as many for the g.tech game though) of students already waiting. 

I would just like to encourage the alumni and other fans to come support the football team.  If students, who have crazy schedules as it is can do it, so can you.

180391[/snapback]

I think that a lot of alumni (myself included), while we love and support our Tigers, have a lot more going on in our lives during the Fall season. I have been a season ticket holder since graduating from AU (2000), but I have been guilty of skipping games simply because I cannot devote an entire day to the game experience. Now, I will make those sacrifices for the traditional rivalries (Bama, UGA, LSU), but a kickoff @ 11:30 means I have to leave Birmingham at 7:00 am to have an enjoyable tailgating experience. With work, life, marriage, friends you don't get to see often, weddings, etc...you just have to make those sacrifices at times. Students with crazy schedules??? I would kill to have my student schedule right now...

I would much rather take the MSU weekend off and get some things accomplished so that I can attend a good game @ JH later in the year. I never thought I would say it when I was a student, but I simply can't make it to every game. With commitments @ work, life, etc...it is impossible. However, I would rather spend a weekend on Lake Martin or Weiss Lake and watch the game on tv than to go to Auburn to see the Tigers face a directional school (or even MSU)....have I lost it? Maybe so....but I guess that is why they make chocolate AND vanilla....choices...

War Eagle-

[CCTAU 3,656]

Students with crazy schedules??? I would kill to have my student schedule right now...

I'm with ya. It took me a while to get off the floor from laughing after I read that. The "real world" is more than an MTV reality show. My kids had games at 9:15 and 10:20. Kinda crappy to tell your kid, "Sorry, can't go to your game. I have to go to AU for their game."

[HomanAU 0]

I sat next to the MSU section which is like 114 or something i was in 111 and there were prolly 30 ppl maybe in the whole section. I wouldnt dought if some of those ppl just wanted some leg and i was in a pretty full section but i met up with 2 freinds and sat with them a row over, so it wasnt packed. Those early games are pretty tough im only in highschool so ofcourse i went 2 our highschool game but we left at 7:30 from Atlanta to go to the game. If i lived a couple more hours away i dunno if i could make that drive 3 weeks in arrow with MSU-WK but ofcourse i would go to atleast 1. South Carilina should be a big 1.

War Eagle

[AUesquire 1]

Great call CCT. Students with crazy schedules???

I promise you. Let me repeat that. I PROMISE YOU. You will never have it easier in your entire life. You'll look back on this whole experience years from now and think, "Oh my God, what a life I had."

[freebody 0]

Keep in mind that about 10-12,000 tickets are reserved for visiting schools, and although many schools sell all of that league-required allotment (UT,UGA,UAT,LSU,UF), those schools that don't sell theirs will return their extras about a week before the game. So, most of those empty seats in the ends and top of the east upper deck should have been occupied by MSU fans. For a game like this past week (and the next two), there is just not enough walk-up traffic from Auburn folks to buy those newly-available seats.

As far as choices and other demands, that is something I am struggling with myself. I took my sons (6 and 4) with me yesterday, but I know it won't be too long before their sports careers will be taking precedence over tailgating. (I went to 10 of 13 games last year, largely because the boys played in a Sunday afternoon soccer league). The way I would have to figure it is, Auburn football will be there every year - these little guys won't.

Oh, and 5 weeks in a row, with 3 sub-par teams, coming off a disappointing opening performance, with all the other stuff going on in the near world - 81,000+ is probably not too bad, especially considering that at least 75,000 were Auburn fans.

And to the guy thinking the student schedule is tough - please do yourself a favor and enjoy it while you can, even if you are working part-time while doing it. These will be your "good old days". To quote Roger Waters, "The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime".

[moe 0]

When I said crazy schedules, I was implying that folks get drunk on Friday nights and still make it to the game. In no way do I want to compare my schedule of class from 8-12 to y'all's work schedule. Sorry

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

I echo CCTUA and mamslove's comments. The age group that we fall into is one with kids that have sports events themselves on Saturdays and theirs always take precendence over AU games. This is the first fall in 5 years that none of my kids are playing a sport on Saturday, so I will make more games this year than years past.

However, this past weekend, I had Army Reserve duty and couldn't make it to the game. Believe me, I would have loved to have been there. I got to watch the 1st quarter on TV and struggled to keep up on the radio for the rest of the game. I should be there the next two weeks.

As far as the enthusiasm of fans, students tend to be rowdier. At some sections of the stadium, it is difficult to hear the band and impossible to hear the cheerleaders. But the people I sit around tend to be more vocal than those folks on the fifty. Doesn't make the older group with the money to buy the good seats any less passionate.

[AWK 0]

Students with crazy schedules??? I would kill to have my student schedule right now...

I'm with ya. It took me a while to get off the floor from laughing after I read that. The "real world" is more than an MTV reality show. My kids had games at 9:15 and 10:20. Kinda crappy to tell your kid, "Sorry, can't go to your game. I have to go to AU for their game."

180458[/snapback]

Off topic, But i noticed your Avatar, are you from Prattville, AL CCTAU?

[SKCAUB 0]

When I said crazy schedules, I was implying that folks get drunk on Friday nights and still make it to the game.  In no way do I want to compare my schedule of class from 8-12 to y'all's work schedule.  Sorry 

180489[/snapback]

Thank God for that, son. ENJOY!!!

[boddatiger99 5]

I think this a great topic. The best 4.5 years of my life were 95-99 at AUburn. I never grew tired of STANDING in the student section, the whole game! What a great, fun, superb environment to be in! Now, 5 years later, and 3 kids later, and a career and responsibilities, I certainly understand the financial and time constraints that are on you, making it difficult to get back for even just a handful of games. So I've been on both sides of this subject...like many of you that have posted. However, let me touch on something:

Forget the numbers. 81,000 or 81, 438...that's not my issue. My biggest issue is the difference in intesity between the students and alumni ("other fans"). Having been to the Swamp in Gainsville and Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, I have always noticed a difference in fan participation. Now don't get me wrong here, AUburn IS THE BEST college gameday experience. Period. However, when I was at the swamp and in the sea of orange at UT (the ugly orange...almost peachy) I observed with some degree of jealousy just how much EVERYONE stood and cheered and wreaked havoc on the visiting team. Everyone was on the same page. Everyone was united in making their place THE PLACE opponents would fear. So my only gripe about all of this is the lack of intensity sometimes displayed by non-students. Last year, of course, was a different ballgame. Perhaps that level of intensity was reached and maintained by everyone. Perhaps. But I agree, it must be kept going and EVERYONE should "get" in the game...all the time.

One more thing: It should be noted that it could be that yes, AU has more graduates...and us business leaders, engineers, veterinarians, and horticulturalists are the ones that account for most of the attendance at the games and sometimes it is difficult to get there. This would be in comparison to the 34,960 mullets I saw at Neyland Stadium. So maybe that's why they are a tad bit louder...that's the MAIN thing going on in their life...ok, just kidding, sorta. The Lesson to be learned: Let's recruit more rednecks.

[bammanmr 0]

Honestly, I wasn't going to make a 6 hour drive to watch us smack state around at 11:30 in the morning.

[AUJarhead 72]

I was implying that folks get drunk on Friday nights and still make it to the game. 

180489[/snapback]

Moe, hangovers hurt more than they used to.

[Ravad 78]

Another reason some were not there was the heat.

I know in our situation we get 6 tickets Me, Hubby, Daniel, Future friend of Daniel, Hubby's Mom & Dad.

Mom & Dad are in their mid-late 70's, did not go because it was over 90 degree's. Same reason for Daniel (plus no friend yet )

On a good note the hubby & I went, swapped 6 upperdeck tickets for 2 on row 24 on about the 25 yard line and had a great time.

WDE! See you Saturday!

Wonder were we will get to sit?

[AU 90 GRAD 0]

Well I traveled all the way from Delaware just to see the game. I hadn't been to a game in a long time and my schedule permited me the opportunity. When I was a student 15 years ago we had the same complaint about the "old farts" not yelling as loud as the students. I also noticed back then and the same today that night games were usually much louder than day games. Most of which were televised and against ranked opponents. For a night game you have all day to get psyched up and for a lot of folks, liquered up. One strike against Auburn is the location. It's in the middle of nowhere and it requires anyone traveling more than an hour (Birmingham, Atlanta) to schedule the whole day. I sat up in the upper deck and loved every minute. There's nothing better than a fall Saturday on the Plains.

[CCTAU 3,656]

One strike against Auburn is the location.  It's in the middle of nowhere and it requires anyone traveling more than an hour (Birmingham, Atlanta) to schedule the whole day.

Gotta get a little mud on the tires, huh?