In today's Daily Mail, Mike Casazza, asks an intriguing question; Is the WVU fan base changing? The answer is yes and no, but Mr. Casazza is looking at it from the wrong angle. It isn't about the new donor levels or ticket costs, it is about WVU's recent success creating a sense of entitlement in our fans.
The article basically questions all of our fanhood and asks why WVU no longer has that great home-field advantage. Mr. Casazza isn't the only one questioning our fans these days. CRR has also been extremely disappointed with Mountaineer fans because of the lack of noise and their halftime exodus.
With WVU on the verge of three straight 11 win seasons, some fans have become complacent. These complacent fans expect us to win by simply showing up on any given gameday. Some fans call these people "bandwagon fans," students, or the old-fogy donor. I say look in mirror because it is all of our faults.
Don't give me any bullshit about the games are out of hand and we are boring in the second half. Does anyone remember the Louisville game from 2005? The fans gave up on the team because we were behind. The team played their ass off for the greatest game I've ever witnessed at Mountaineer Field. The game isn't over until they play Country Roads.
This team wants and needs the fans support during all four quarters. CRR has challenged all the fans to wear gold and to make as much noise as possible when we are on defense tomorrow night. We need to answer this call just like the team does when they are challenged by CRR.
You always wear a blue jersey to the game? FUCK YOU, wear gold. You don't have any cute gold outfits? FUCK YOU, wear gold. It will be too cold. FUCK YOU, pull a t-shirt over your jacket so you can wear gold. You're just sitting on your couch at home? FUCK YOU, wear gold.
The "Gold Rush" isn't about marketing, it isn't about more money from t-shirt sales, but it is a way to challenge our fans to show their love for the Mountaineers. If we are going to criticize the team and CRR after a bad game we need to hold the rope ourselves. Do your part by showing up in gold and leaving with hoarse voice.
Tomorrow night is our chance to bring back the Mountaineer Field of old. The place that was loud and proud to be rooting on our beloved Mountaineers. "Bandwagon fans" stop your bitching about throwing deep passes and ESPN not respecting us and realize we have to handle our business on the field. Students show up early and leave late (y'all have no problem making noise). Old-fogy donors this isn't church, so stop worrying about people standing up in front of you and just stand-up and cheer when we are on D.
WVU fans, come together tomorrow night and make Mountaineer Field a place to be feared again. A night game at Mountaineer Field is a special time, in a special place with 60,000 of your closest friends.
7 comments:
Great post, I agree on all fronts, expecially..."sitting on your couch at home? F-U, wear Gold".
Wearing gold has gotten better over the years (egh I remember a few years ago seeing random spots of red around the stadium) but it can get better and I hope it is all gold Thursday. We all see these games, like RU/USF where the stands were all red, PSU all white (which is kind of getting old)...they look Impressive!
Couldn't agree more. Wear GOLD, its not that hard.
This is blown way out of proportion. WVU has averaged over 56,000 fans per home game the last 4 years. In the previous 13 years (1991-2003) WVU averaged at least that amount ONCE. And that was the undefeated season of 1993 when we drew 70,222 at one game to boost the average.
The student section has been filled to the brim for every game the last two years at kick off. And filled entirely for all but Thanksgiving break games for the better part of 6 years. WVU's home record has been 19-3 since 2004.
From 1994-2003, when we were averaging 52,000 our home record was 41-21, with only ONE team losing less than twice in a season at home. Coming to game in the 90's, the student turnout was not close to what it is today, and it became worse once the students were forced to get tickets.
Basically what I'm trying to say is, there are not alot of die-hard stay to the last minute fans at WVU. In the 90's the ones who actually came were die-hard and stayed till the end. Those people still come, PLUS those that see the game as a fun event. And they will stay if it's a close game. But if we're up 20 at half, there are always people that would rather go tailgate then watch a game that is essentially over.
The fans haven't changed, the team is just better. When we were averaging fewer people, and had a worse home record, we were supposedly a hard place to play. Now, we have more people, and win more games and its not? I garuntee if WVU is in a dogfight with a respected opponent, people will stay and be loud. But why would a girl, or New Jersyian stay to the end of Miss. St. when there are jagerbombs to be had, and the team has packed it in (and before the fans did). Okay. Done rambling. I'll be wearing gold, yelling loud and staying to end.
We are a better now and that is why we are winning not because of our "home field advantage."
I feel our team could play better at times and I feel like our fans can get more hyped at times.
Great stats by the way
The "ticket prices are too expensive" excuse is just lame. The base ticket price at Ohio State is $65, and that doesn't count the donations and wait lists for season tickets. I'm not sure how much tickets cost at LSU, Florida, Michigan, or Tennessee, but I'm willing to bet it's a lot more than at WVU, and all those stadiums have a lot more seats. I think the ticket price is too LOW and people don't have enough invested in their tickets to want to stay the whole time and get their money's worth. Just a thought. I'm on board with everyone else so far though - FU, wear gold, cheer your lungs off.
I agree. I have season tickets and the stadium isn't as loud as I want it to be or as loud as it used to be. I think its because its not the young fans any longer, its the old farts and families there. It didn't used to be that way. And those sweetbads do not cheer and that really pisses me off bad. I want it so damn loud the opposing team cannot hear shit. Look at other venues, such therefore Florida, LSU, Alabama if you will. They have their fans up and yelling the whole time on 2nd down, 1st down, it doesn't matter. I guess maybe our crowd is worried their dentures will fall out, hell I do not know.
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