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meeting the magic number

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From the Sun-Sentinal…

BIG CROWD A MUST

FAU now knows the magic number.

A crowd of 37,341 is needed for this Saturday's game at Pro Player Stadium against Florida International for the Owls to reach the NCAA-mandated average of 15,000 fans at home games.

"I think it's doable," said FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos. "It's going to take a lot of effort from a lot of people but I think it could happen."

A crowd of 5,178 was at Saturday's game, a season low, as FAU drew 37,659 for its four games at Lockhart Stadium, an average of 9,415.

Hurting Saturday was the lack of students, which Angelos blamed on the Thanksgiving holiday.

FAU is targeting the 11 colleges in the area for the game at Pro Player, offering free admission to students from any schools who have an ID.

What do you guys think about that? Is 37,659 possible for the Shula Bowl? I know I'll be there. Is it more realistic to hope that the 15k attendance rule be overturned or is over 37k people something that has a good chance happening?
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meeting the magic number

I have been brain dead all this time. I was under the impression that this year is not held against us. We will be held accountable starting next year. According to most publications we will continue on probabation as a transition team if we cannot meet the 15000 goal? So we get some of the D1-A spoils(attendance) but not the rewards like playoffs/bowl games? I thought we would become full members regardless of whether we meet it or not. Then starting the 2006 year will be put on probabtion for the year because we failed to meet it in the previous year(2005). The Transitional label is my sticking point.
I have been reading and following the sunbelt boards very carefully. Most of the talks are pretty positive that the rule will be "extended indefinetly" for further review.

The game itself:
Realistic numbers will probably be lower than that. The rival faction will get out the die hard fans. FIU's record have turned off a lot of their own fans at this time of the season. This win vs FAMU should spark some interest for them. Hopefully both set of fans will get out of the house and come to the game.

Reminder: Miami is playing at home this weekend.. >:(
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meeting the magic number

meeting the magic number

It is my understanding that we will be full members next year still serving our second year of transition time,
No bowls & playoffs. However, the attendance does count against us in our transition period - so we will be repeating this year of limbo. So, if we don't pull-out 38,000 fans for the FIU game, instead of a two year transistion it will be a three year transition as long as we meet the attendance mark next year and the following year.

I don't see this as a big deal, it give us one more year to build the fan base and make adjustment in marketing :o And the ruling may just be overturned so we won't have to worry about it.

FIU's win against FAMU will help bring more of their fans out - hopefully. With the offer of all students, any affiliation, attending for free hopefully will be the big draw.
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meeting the magic number

So I guess I'm saying the same thing. Just the transition label extension has thrown me for a loop. I have to read the rules more carefully next time. :-[
Thanks
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meeting the magic number


I have been brain dead all this time. I was under the impression that this year is not held against us. We will be held accountable starting next year. According to most publications we will continue on probabation as a transition team if we cannot meet the 15000 goal? So we get some of the D1-A spoils(attendance) but not the rewards like playoffs/bowl games? I thought we would become full members regardless of whether we meet it or not. Then starting the 2006 year will be put on probabtion for the year because we failed to meet it in the previous year(2005). The Transitional label is my sticking point.
I have been reading and following the sunbelt boards very carefully. Most of the talks are pretty positive that the rule will be "extended indefinetly" for further review.

The game itself:
Realistic numbers will probably be lower than that. The rival faction will get out the die hard fans. FIU's record have turned off a lot of their own fans at this time of the season. This win vs FAMU should spark some interest for them. Hopefully both set of fans will get out of the house and come to the game.

Reminder: Miami is playing at home this weekend.. >:(

I'm with you. I thought (still do) that the 15,000 rule wouldn't be in effect for us this year. The way I understand it, we have 2 years to reach that goal. Beginning in 2005 we are full D-IA and can win the conference and go to a bowl game. Isn't this still the case? I'm confident that we will get the 15,000 per game number next year (much better home schedule), even though I don't think the rule will be in effect much longer.

Can someone explain this? Will we be in the same position next season as we are this year, or can we play for a conference championship? With the Sun Belt losing teams to other conferences, i'm assuming both FAU and FIU will be considered full conference members, otherwise the entire conference would be way short in terms of number of teams.

As for this week, it is VERY unlikely we can get a crowd of 37,341. It is just too large of a number. It would require selling out the entire Pro Player Stadium Lower and Club levels(and I don't think even that would be enough to get you to over 37,000). Neither FAU or FIU have ever drawn anything close to that. I'm expecting a crowd closer to 15,000-20,000. Last year at FIU, I believe the crowd was just shy of 10,000, so doubling that would be a nice step up for both teams.
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meeting the magic number


Can someone explain this? Will we be in the same position next season as we are this year, or can we play for a conference championship? With the Sun Belt losing teams to other conferences, i'm assuming both FAU and FIU will be considered full conference members, otherwise the entire conference would be way short in terms of number of teams.

EXACTLY! I thought we will be eligible for post season play next year. It's been discussed and posted on SunBelt boards, all year long about next year and how we could do. Coach Howard even commented too many times on the seniors missing out THIS year on a playoff or bowl.

How can we be in the running if we are a transition team??
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meeting the magic number

Regardless, 1A teams will start to drop us off their schedule if we dont hit the 15,000 avg. mark. If were not 1A a win over us doest count twords their bowl bid. Maybe the ruling can be over turned and we can make 1A, but the damage may already have been done by then.
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meeting the magic number


Regardless, 1A teams will start to drop us off their schedule if we dont hit the 15,000 avg. mark. If were not 1A a win over us doest count twords their bowl bid. Maybe the ruling can be over turned and we can make 1A, but the damage may already have been done by then.

I think the Sunbelt teams still have to put us on their schedule.. just like this year. I'm sure that next year we already have contracts from other teams to play as well.. I'm confident that 15k will be met next year. If you think about it.. we had an average of about 3 or 4 thousand fans for home games.. We've more than doubled that this year. I think that within itself is a GREAT accomplishment. We just need to keep building.
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meeting the magic number

bcmatzen,
The sunbelt teams already have us on their schedule. I doubt if we will not be dropped. The other teams who just signed may reconsider their options. I don't know.

The discussion is are we still a transition team BECAUSE of this year's attendance potential shortfall? Or are we a full fledge member and the attendance issue starts to count next year,w/o a transition label?
Do you know the answer?
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meeting the magic number

dont know..... I dont think its fair that once you are 1A and you dont meet the 15,000 you are placed on probation and after 10 years it is reviewed again. I think we should be classified as 1A and then give us 10 years to get the attendence up. The whole draw of attending these games is the 1A appeal. That will give us more pull for those people who have no affiliation with the school.
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