Interesting Story on FIU and FAU from Sun-Sentinel

[MatRatUSF]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-fanbase14dec14,0,4295501.story?coll=sfla-sports-front

FAU, FIU hope to win games, fans

By Ted Hutton

Staff Writer

Posted December 14 2004

Attracting enough of South Florida's fickle fans is critical to the future of Florida Atlantic and Florida International's football programs, but it's been a tough sell as the teams try to wedge their way into the area's crowded sports market.

FAU and FIU both needed to average 15,000 fans at their home games this season to continue their two-year transitions from Division I-AA to I-A. Both fell well short as the Owls averaged 10,784 and the Golden Panthers drew 10,095.

While that was an improvement of more than 3,000 fans per game for the teams, it still leaves their transition in doubt, and raises questions as to whether they can find enough fans to support the programs at the level required by the NCAA this early in their development.

"You'll always be ahead of your fan base until you go to a major bowl and win," FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger said. "Then it explodes."

Schnellenberger has the experience to support that, taking Miami to the 1983 Orange Bowl and beating Nebraska for the national championship, then getting Louisville into the 1990 Fiesta Bowl, where the Cardinals beat Alabama.

Both programs flourished after those wins.

Adding to the difficulty is the location of the NCAA's two newest football programs.

"This may be the most crowded and challenging event market in the country," said Scott Becher, president of Sports & Sponsorships, a sports marketing agency based in Miami Beach.

"The NCAA model is the opposite of the way South Florida ticket buyers operate," Becher said. "Here it's win first and the ticket sales will follow."

FAU has been winning, going 11-3 last year and 9-3 this year, but the Owls have been playing mostly at the I-AA level, against teams such as Gardner-Webb, Illinois State and Northern Colorado, which have no resonance in South Florida.

That is why FAU and FIU decided they needed to move to I-A as quickly as possible, knowing it would be hard to survive as I-AA teams, looking up at not just Miami, Florida and Florida State but also South Florida and Central Florida.

"I think that's exactly right," Becher said.

Becher said FIU and FAU also made smart decisions by hiring well-known coaches to lend the programs instant visibility and credibility. FAU's Schnellenberger and former Dolphins quarterback Don Strock at FIU have strong local ties and name recognition.

But that has not translated into fans in the stands.

"We have little patience for nurturing a program," Becher said. "Down here, it's, `Wake us when you're a champion, and we'll be there.'"

FAU and FIU are also trying to siphon fans from three established programs that are usually in the hunt for a national title -- the Hurricanes, Gators and Seminoles.

"If you identify with college football and you live in Florida, you probably already have that need satisfied, and you have already picked your team," said Christian End, an assistant professor at Xavier who specializes in the psychology of sports fans.

"The Miami, Florida and Florida State teams have been hyper-successful over the last 20 years and there is no reason to jump off that bandwagon," he said.

End said winning is one of the best ways to help build a fan base. "People want to back a winner. Then they start wearing the apparel, publicizing their identification, and other people see that and think it's safe to join in."

Becher thinks that because South Florida is one of the biggest bandwagon markets in the country, there is hope for FAU and FIU.

"There appears to be an insatiable appetite for football at any level here," Becher said. "There is no reason why they can't succeed, but you can't expect a fan base to come in front of success, not in this market."

That is something the schools' athletic directors understand.

"In this town, if you don't win, it's a problem," said Rick Mello, FIU's athletic director. "We will both have viable I-A programs, but right now we have to deal with an NCAA requirement where we don't have the tradition yet to draw from."

FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos said, "Can we continue to increase our attendance base and get past 15,000 on a regular basis? Yes. Next year? I don't know."

FAU and FIU will find out in January the consequences of not averaging 15,000 this season. That is when the NCAA Board of Directors is meeting to decide whether to keep, eliminate or modify the attendance rule.

"There is no magic attendance dust," End said. "Most of it is fostering an emotional connection between the team and fans. That can take a while."  

[WoolyBully]

"There is no magic attendance dust," End said. "Most of it is fostering an emotional connection between the team and fans. That can take a while."

Yep....a lot of truth in that statement.

[Guest HowieP1]

Yep....a lot of truth in that statement.

This one too:

"We have little patience for nurturing a program," Becher said. "Down here, it's, `Wake us when you're a champion, and we'll be there.'"

[Brad]

Becher thinks that because South Florida is one of the biggest bandwagon markets in the country, there is hope for FAU and FIU.

I would think that Tampa/St.Pete and surrounding areas could give the South Florida region a run for its money when it comes to bandwagon fans.  

I like the way he notes that as a positive, I view it as a negative as it promotes the "win and wake me up" mentality.  Seems to be same mentality in our area and with our own alumni and students.

[TripleB]

I would think that Tampa/St.Pete and surrounding areas could give the South Florida region a run for its money when it comes to bandwagon fans.

Not even close. Dolphins couldn't even sell out playoff games. When the Bucs were sucking all those years, they still had a core of 25 to 30K faithful fans at games. You put those horrible teams in Miami and the ushers would out number the fans .........

[smazza]

ncaa might not keep attnedance rule or enforce it

let's wait and see

ncaa is so arbitrary it is hard to know how they will rule on this.

if they knock them down to 1a do  fiu and fau have any players we would want?

[79 Bull]

You put those horrible teams in Miami and the ushers would out number the fans .........

Kinda like a Rays game.

[TripleB]

Kinda like a Rays game.

Exactly ...........