Question about posts?

[FrontRoyalSpider]

Why was my thread about the local UR fan base locked?

Is it because several UR posters do not want to face the fact that the vast majority of local UR fans are now elderly ?

On the lamb board, the lambs were debating as to who is VCU's biggest rival, UR or ODU ?


A lamb stated that ODU is VCU's biggest rival because THE UR LOCAL FAN BASE IS DYING OUT!

Apparently to some UR fans the truth hurts, I guess this is why my previous thread on this topic was locked.

 

[SpiderK]

There is some truth to that. The local flavor of the old RPI vs UR rivalry is dying out. A Majority of VCU fans have only been around since March 2011 and have very few local UR fans to banter with. Kind of like the UR vs WM football rivalry being replaced by JMU. As far as ODU goes, they are totally focused on football and don't care much about basketball anymore.

 

[whampas]

FRS, Don't go to their boards. You will catch something. Seriously. Picked up a Trojan on my phone while visiting their board and corresponding with NattyMatt. Stay away.

 

[Eight Legger]

Better pick up a few more Trojans for future interactions with any Rams, also, or else you're bound to catch more unwanted things.

 

[MrTbone]

I don't know why it was locked, it's a fine debate to have. Although of note, I think your theory is more perceptual than fact-based. Lots of young fans coming to the RC. Someone asked if those were kids instead of young adults to which I thought, "does it really matter"? I buy 5 season tickets, but am the only one who attended UR. But we all root for UR and pay the ticket price for the seat. I grew up going to Stanford football and basketball games as a kid and still root for the Cardinal...there's something useful to consider there when we weigh what kind of fan is valuable.

 

[whampas]

Better pick up a few more Trojans for future interactions with any Rams, also, or else you're bound to catch more unwanted things.

Sounds like you may have some first hand experience you may want to share or not.

 

[fan2011]

I was at the game with ~20 people from the 2011 class. Around 1/2 of those people were season ticket holders, others like me traveled a long way to go to the game. I think FRS needs new glasses, he probably can't see any of the fans more than 10 feet away from him at the games, so he thinks everyone is old like himself. I believe the majority of fans FRS is aware of are elderly (because he mostly interacts with people his own age), but the majority of fans I am aware of are between 24 and 30 for similar reasons.

 

[spider fan]

Every fan is important and fan2011 you make a very valid point. All of us tend to hang out more with people in our age group and near our class years - only logical because of common interests. At the Robins Center the video cam captures images of all age groups and there are many children and young people included - speaking of which the students did a great job on Saturday of supporting the team. And Tbone as the Cardinal represents the color instead of the bird why doesn't the official mascot tree have autumn instead of green leaves? - haha

 

[SpiderK]

I bring as many of kid's friends (12 to 15) so they can enjoy the college and NCAA basketball experience. RC is a wonderful place for all ages. Hopefully create some life long UR fans in the process.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

FRS it was locked because there are two things you constantly discuss either: recruiting more VA students or JMU and VCU are laughing at us. The world is changing and the dynamics
of higher education are more concerned with being more diverse versus maintaining instate numbers. At least look at our sports dept for I see a good number of VA students recruited on
the different rosters. Also look at the cost of UR vs state supported schools. Parents with multiple kids looking at college, are going to encourage state supported schools simply due to the cost of education factor. I am in NC but both of mine went to State supported schools and because of that neither one had to have a student loan and their 529 account covered everything over the total of 8 years except for $350. I don't expect the school to lower tuition anytime soon. Just find a more diverse range of subjects to discuss, please.

 

[fan2011]

Why does it matter where Richmond's students are from? I want Richmond to be the best academic institution it can be, and that means attracting and accepting the best students possible. Many of the best students are from outside Virginia. If you want to go to a regional school go to VCU, they are there to make sure everyone in Virginia has access to higher education. If you want to go to a world class institution go to Richmond.

 

[I-M-UR]

I'm old and a very long time fan. As loud as anyone and I've got a few more decades in me. So what it the big deal?

On the other hand if we want to fill up the Robins Center on a regular basis we are going to have to participate in the NCAA tourney more often than we do. Band wagoners are welcome but they don't last long if you aren't winning.

Has anyone counted our win/loss record with sold out crowds? It feels like we stumble a lot in those big games.

 

[keefusb]

I feel like UR has a great reputation and graduates get a fantastic education, but I'm not sure we qualify as a "world class institution" by any of the typical measures. US News has us at #32 for National Liberal Arts Colleges, which doesn't include National Universities like Stanford, MIT, Ivies, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, etc. We are lucky to sniff the Top 50 in any comprehensive rankings.

I have a 17-year old son looking at small private colleges, and Richmond isn't even on his list (but Williams, Swarthmore, and Vassar are). Richmond in my opinion is no longer great value for what one pays in tuition, even when counting the financial aid program.

That said, we do need to attract a younger demographic to our games, and nothing does that better than winning, and to a lesser extent, getting the student body more involved in the program.

 

[fan2011]

I feel like UR has a great reputation and graduates get a fantastic education, but I'm not sure we qualify as a "world class institution" by any of the typical measures. US News has us at #32 for National Liberal Arts Colleges, which doesn't include National Universities like Stanford, MIT, Ivies, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, etc. We are lucky to sniff the Top 50 in any comprehensive rankings.

I have a 17-year old son looking at small private colleges, and Richmond isn't even on his list (but Williams, Swarthmore, and Vassar are). Richmond in my opinion is no longer great value for what one pays in tuition, even when counting the financial aid program.

That said, we do need to attract a younger demographic to our games, and nothing does that better than winning, and to a lesser extent, getting the student body more involved in the program.

It is world class in the quality of international student we attract, the recognition we receive on the international stage and in the reputation of the quality of our graduates on the job market and in graduate schools. Many of may friends got jobs at big 4 consulting firms or were accepted to chemistry and physics programs at Harvard, Stanford, Cal, MIT, UNC etc. in part due to Richmond's very strong reputation. Your son sounds like a really intelligent young man, and any of those 3 schools would certainly offer the highest quality education you can get. Richmond is not on the same level as Williams (where my parents went to school), Swarthmore (where my mom works) or Vassar, but we are a very high level institution.

 

[KE Spider]

Go to a Ram game and a Spider game and tell me with a straight face that we do not have a significantly older fan base. It is in the realm of being undeniable.

Our area fan base that you can count on consistently being at Spiders sports, win or lose, year in and year out, is shrinking with the passage of time. Not to say that a better product and better marketing can't bring out more unaffiliated college basketball fans and not saying our current student profile is bad or good. Separate issues.

Think FRS is dead on regarding the aging core of the Spider fan base and what it might bode for the future of Spider sports, BUT FRS, more folks aren't going to believe you just because you keep repeating it, and repeating it, and repeating it, and repeating it,.... Carolina said it, try broadening your discussion topics.

 

[Eight Legger]

Go to a Ram game

No thank you.

 

[64Spider]

Maybe we just need more crime around our campus. Oh and 47000 more students. Oh and 9000 more graduates each year.

But seriously,,if you watch a lot of BB on tv it's obvious that a lot if programs are seriously hurting for attendance. Our attendance numbers stack up pretty good on the average.

 

[SpiderK]

64 is right about that. I watch a lot of ball on the various channels and attendance at many of these games is abysmal. Hilarious almost to watch the camera men try to avoid showing the empty arenas.

 

[SpiderK]

No thank you.

Eight, the best UR game I saw last year was at Costco!! No free food samples though.

 

[Eight Legger]

Ha, yes, I was there too, and it was a lot of fun walking out!

 

[wr70beh]

Again, Richmond roots for a winner. If UR gets things straight, the casual fan will come back like they did in the 80's. I'm not worried about the fanbase. I used to, but after going to games for the past 5-6 years as a season ticket holder, I'm not worried. There are enough kids screaming for balls, T-shirts, and White House Rolls, and they come with their 30-50 year old parents.

 

[SpiderK]

Go to a Ram game and a Spider game and tell me with a straight face that we do not have a significantly older fan base. It is in the realm of being undeniable.

Our area fan base that you can count on consistently being at Spiders sports, win or lose, year in and year out, is shrinking with the passage of time. Not to say that a better product and better marketing can't bring out more unaffiliated college basketball fans and not saying our current student profile is bad or good. Separate issues.

Think FRS is dead on regarding the aging core of the Spider fan base and what it might bode for the future of Spider sports, BUT FRS, more folks aren't going to believe you just because you keep repeating it, and repeating it, and repeating it, and repeating it,.... Carolina said it, try broadening your discussion topics.

That's because the majority of VDU fans did not exist before March 2011. They couldn't fill Franklin Street gym before Shaka got there.

 

[Ulla1]

The great thing about our older fans is we have money, will kick the bucket sooner than later, endow the program, and facilitate greater basketball accomplishments. Roll Spide! OSC

 

[SpiderK]

The great thing about our older fans is we have money, will kick the bucket sooner than later, endow the program, and facilitate greater basketball accomplishments. Roll Spide! OSC

People will be watching Hoverboard soccer by then.

 

[spider fan]

The great thing about our older fans is we have money, will kick the bucket sooner than later, endow the program, and facilitate greater basketball accomplishments. Roll Spide! OSC

Agree and also we remember what it was like to play in the Arena with the first order of business figuring out the transportation for getting there. Therefore the joy of having such a great facility on campus is still something for which to be thankful and not taken for granted. Overall we have a great mix of fans from every different age group and each group contributes something different and positive to the mix. It adds immeasurably to our program when we have players and/or new recruits as we do for next year who are from the local area and as a result their families have easy access to watching them play which brings a loyalty like no other. None of us can totally predict the future but it is tough to imagine that with all our program has going for it the Robins Center will be devoid of fans. As has been stated continuously by many posters and I agree the more wins we have the more buzz about the program and the more attendance.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

64 is right about that. I watch a lot of ball on the various channels and attendance at many of these games is abysmal. Hilarious almost to watch the camera men try to avoid showing the empty arenas.

4 years ago at Wake Forest they were asking everyone to sit downstairs to show better for TV.

 

[MrTbone]

Every fan is important and fan2011 you make a very valid point. All of us tend to hang out more with people in our age group and near our class years - only logical because of common interests. At the Robins Center the video cam captures images of all age groups and there are many children and young people included - speaking of which the students did a great job on Saturday of supporting the team. And Tbone as the Cardinal represents the color instead of the bird why doesn't the official mascot tree have autumn instead of green leaves? - haha

The practical response of course is that there are no known red sequoia trees. Although I doubt logic or propriety bear much weight where the Tree is concerned...