A lot of our fans are horrible

[AdamOnFirst]

First off, thanks to the Cats board member who hooked me up with tickets in my first trip to Evanston in years, and second don’t think this sentiment refers to anybody here, one of the few places where actual serious football fans congregate. It was good to sit with a few really hardcore and knowledgeable Cats fans amidst the generally apathetic crowd.

Having not been to a game in Evanston in years, is built up plenty of denial about our fan base but was reminded in no uncertain terms how lousy a lot of our fans are. The south end zone totally emptied out during a halftime misting in a close game under the lights. Late and in OT when we had the opposing offense nearby I was absolutely begging the remaining crowd around me to stand up, make some noise, do ANYTHING, and only got looks of confusion as to why we’d want to stand up and make noise during the key moments in the game. This wasn’t just from the older, disinterested rich fans, but plenty of very young fans as well.

It’s… pretty depressing.

 

[its_the_sauce]

Ah yes......,

Rip on the fans that DO go instead of those that DON'T go.

 

[fcmchi]

AON, In our seats in the north end zone, not far from NUMB, all fans, young and old, were noisy the entire game. Good atmosphere.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Ah yes......,

Rip on the fans that DO go instead of those that DON'T go.

He's right about the south stands. Did you see the south stands? Why even bother to show up for only the 1st half?

 

[its_the_sauce]

He's right about the south stands. Did you see the south stands? Why even bother to show up for only the 1st half?

Of course I saw them, I was at game. I'm certainly not going to besmerch them if they decided to shift to south beer garden to get out out wind driven mist.

 

[Hungry Jack]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that--we yell all sorts of obscenities). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

 

[phatcat]

There just isn't going to be a strong home advantage. The North stands are littered with opposing fans, the south are full of genteel Wilson Club types, and east/west are tiny

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Ah yes......,

Rip on the fans that DO go instead of those that DON'T go.

They went for about 1.5 quarters

 

[AdamOnFirst]

AON, In our seats in the north end zone, not far from NUMB, all fans, young and old, were noisy the entire game. Good atmosphere.

I’m happy to hear that. I could hear a little bit of noise emanating from that direction through the wind at times but couldn’t tell

 

[AdamOnFirst]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

I sort of reject the demographic thing. I’m not asking for people to through conniption fits and be complete headcases after the game. I AM asking for people to embrace the damn experience and stand up and do some mild shouting and clapping on third down. It really put me over the top in the second overtime on their and goal and 2pt plays right in front of us when I started screaming and trying to get those left around me to join and a group of undergrad age guys turned back and looked at me and laughed like I was making a funny joke that we should bother to try to make some noise, then when I pointed at them to stand up and was serious they were like oh, no, I’m not actually gonna do that.

Being rich and smart doesn’t have to mean being passionless.

 

[JoeWildcat]

He's right about the south stands. Did you see the south stands? Why even bother to show up for only the 1st half?

Dodger fans.

 

[IGNORE2]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

Has any other team in any revenue sport anywhere ever had a marshmallow tradition? Nuf said

 

[CMcCat]

It’s a crowd of 12k people, maybe 9k in OT. 70% are in the end zone. It is never going to be loud.

 

[Jaguar 88]

Has any other team in any revenue sport anywhere ever had a marshmallow tradition? Nuf said

The U of M student section in the 80's-90's had a tradition of throwing coin laced marshmellows at opposing players that were in the north endzone.

 

[Eurocat]

Has any other team in any revenue sport anywhere ever had a marshmallow tradition? Nuf said

Notre Dame (seniors only).

 

[loyolacat]

Friday night 8pm games in early September ??? b4 students get back,,,add a little bad weather......not ideal for rabid football crowds...plus it is high school football night (Fitz had that correct).........I always thought the concept of Chicago's B10 team had some merit..get some of that young Wriggly Field crowd . but a lot of them are other B10 school fans.....but I agree our fandom needs a blood transfusion Ideas? Remember those crowds in 95??

 

[CatQ]

Popping my head up out of the sand to agree with the OP. I've always said it, but given our product and ease to get to it/access, we deserve a better quality of fan. OK, it was very windy and cold in the south end zone seats, much less windy on the field, and that may have scared a lot of fans away in the second half. But it wasn't in the 40s in November and so many fans were still outside tailgating at the start of the game. Add in he fact that we're talking about 12,000 person capacity and I wonder if people go to say they were there and be seen (a la the LA Lakers) versus actually cheering for their team.

Still... even for men's basketball, we deserve better, louder, more enthusiastic fans. Often times it's the students making 80% of the noise in Welsh-Ryan when they're a small fraction of the total attendance.

My voice is always hoarse or gone after a game. We can do better.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Popping my head up out of the sand to agree with the OP. I've always said it, but given our product and ease to get to it/access, we deserve a better quality of fan. OK, it was very windy and cold in the south end zone seats, much less windy on the field, and that may have scared a lot of fans away in the second half. But it wasn't in the 40s in November and so many fans were still outside tailgating at the start of the game. Add in he fact that we're talking about 12,000 person capacity and I wonder if people go to say they were there and be seen (a la the LA Lakers) versus actually cheering for their team.

Still... even for men's basketball, we deserve better, louder, more enthusiastic fans. Often times it's the students making 80% of the noise in Welsh-Ryan when they're a small fraction of the total attendance.

My voice is always hoarse or gone after a game. We can do better.

I bristle at the windy and cold thing. Yes, it was very windy, but it was like 58 damn degrees. It was nice coolish summer evening weather. Just jeans and sweatshirt weather, nothing else.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Popping my head up out of the sand to agree with the OP. I've always said it, but given our product and ease to get to it/access, we deserve a better quality of fan. OK, it was very windy and cold in the south end zone seats, much less windy on the field, and that may have scared a lot of fans away in the second half. But it wasn't in the 40s in November and so many fans were still outside tailgating at the start of the game. Add in he fact that we're talking about 12,000 person capacity and I wonder if people go to say they were there and be seen (a la the LA Lakers) versus actually cheering for their team.

Still... even for men's basketball, we deserve better, louder, more enthusiastic fans. Often times it's the students making 80% of the noise in Welsh-Ryan when they're a small fraction of the total attendance.

My voice is always hoarse or gone after a game. We can do better.

If they are going to a Cats game to be seen then they aren’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

Also, a quiet Cat fan is preferable to an obnoxious Iowa fan.

 

[winnetkat]

First off, thanks to the Cats board member who hooked me up with tickets in my first trip to Evanston in years, and second don’t think this sentiment refers to anybody here, one of the few places where actual serious football fans congregate. It was good to sit with a few really hardcore and knowledgeable Cats fans amidst the generally apathetic crowd.

Having not been to a game in Evanston in years, is built up plenty of denial about our fan base but was reminded in no uncertain terms how lousy a lot of our fans are. The south end zone totally emptied out during a halftime misting in a close game under the lights. Late and in OT when we had the opposing offense nearby I was absolutely begging the remaining crowd around me to stand up, make some noise, do ANYTHING, and only got looks of confusion as to why we’d want to stand up and make noise during the key moments in the game. This wasn’t just from the older, disinterested rich fans, but plenty of very young fans as well.

It’s… pretty depressing.

There was a significant group of fans around me who after almost every offensive play yelled out "Hey, Mike!" and/or "I wanna be like Mike!" Eventually I figured out their meaning when they starting mixing in "Bajakian" and "*!$% Mike Bajakian." I suspect their behavior sort of fits with your "A lot of our fans are horrible" thesis, but they were plenty energetic (and well-lubricated).

 

[rmndcat]

Dodger fans.

The Dodgers draw more people than any other club. The Yankees are second and it's not particularly close. We should be happy if we had "Dodger" fans.

 

[CMcCat]

I bristle at the windy and cold thing. Yes, it was very windy, but it was like 58 damn degrees. It was nice coolish summer evening weather. Just jeans and sweatshirt weather, nothing else.

I sat in the north stands for the first half, way at the top, and the south stands in the second half.

It was significantly better in the south stands. The wind was blowing hard and right through the north bleachers. It was quite comfortable in the south stands. Hardly a breeze. Lots of legroom.

I am rather certain that no fans left the south stands to sit in the north stands.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

I sat in the north stands for the first half, way at the top, and the south stands in the second half.

It was significantly better in the south stands. The wind was blowing hard and right through the north bleachers. It was quite comfortable in the south stands. Hardly a breeze. Lots of legroom.

I am rather certain that no fans left the south stands to sit in the north stands.

The wind also calmed quite a bit in the second half. We were facing straight into the wind and getting nailed pretty good early

 

[AdamOnFirst]

There was a significant group of fans around me who after almost every offensive play yelled out "Hey, Mike!" and/or "I wanna be like Mike!" Eventually I figured out their meaning when they starting mixing in "Bajakian" and "*!$% Mike Bajakian." I suspect their behavior sort of fits with your "A lot of our fans are horrible" thesis, but they were plenty energetic (and well-lubricated).

See, I like it. Give me lots of energy.

 

[CatManTrue]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that--we yell all sorts of obscenities). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

Nerdwestern!

 

[TheC]

We are a small, private, urban school with very little history. Hundreds of thousands of kids didn't grow up rooting for us. Very few people from the area went to school here. Many of our alums have scattered across the globe.

I imagine a lot of the fans we get come for the interesting experience of attending a major college football game, but don't care that passionately about whether we win or not.

 

[NUinIowafan]

I love to cheer for NU but rarely get to a game. Really want to experience the lakeside arena so will aim for next year game! Can someone let me know best way to pick up two tickets next year as a non -STH? Thanks- i would love to sit by some people that like to yell for the home team!!

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I love to cheer for NU but rarely get to a game. Really want to experience the lakeside arena so will aim for next year game! Can someone let me know best way to pick up two tickets next year as a non -STH? Thanks- i would love to sit by some people that like to yell for the home team!!

Tickpick.com

My go-to for sporting event tickets.
Why? Because they include the fees in the displayed price and they have done it that way from day 1.
Also, because one time I was in Minneapolis, bought tickets from them to a Twins game while walking to the stadium, then something happened and I couldn't access my tickets - called them, got a human right away and he resolved the situation in a few minutes and upgraded my seats. I have stopped using other sites entirely.

 

[No Chores]

Tickpick.com

My go-to for sporting event tickets.
Why? Because they include the fees in the displayed price and they have done it that way from day 1.
Also, because one time I was in Minneapolis, bought tickets from them to a Twins game while walking to the stadium, then something happened and I couldn't access my tickets - called them, got a human right away and he resolved the situation in a few minutes and upgraded my seats. I have stopped using other sites entirely.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[Hungry Jack]

Nerdwestern!

There is truth to that.

 

[Baz=Heisman]

I love to cheer for NU but rarely get to a game. Really want to experience the lakeside arena so will aim for next year game! Can someone let me know best way to pick up two tickets next year as a non -STH? Thanks- i would love to sit by some people that like to yell for the home team!!

I would wait until the day of the game and then pull it for your tickets.

 

[hdhntr1]

Ah yes......,

Rip on the fans that DO go instead of those that DON'T go.

Sounds like an NU fan alright

 

[hdhntr1]

They went for about 1.5 quarters

And the others did not go at all

 

[hdhntr1]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that--we yell all sorts of obscenities). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

Sorry but there is a bit of that in a lot of fan bases, You don't necessarily notice it because there are a lot more fans based on much larger alumni base and many times state affiliation. It shows up more with the small base of fans at NU

 

[Jaguar 88]

There is a standard of lameness among NU fans not seen elsewhere. Some of it is due to age, as older fans don’t bring a lot of juice (Uber and I are exceptions to that--we yell all sorts of obscenities). But our fan base just isn’t the demographic that breathes fire about football.

What is the percentage of NU students that are from Illinois? It is pretty low compared to say U of M, where a vast majority hail from Michigan. Most of the students rooted for the Wolverines as kids, unless they were around Lansing and north of Lansing for the most part. Still there is a bigger connection to the team than say a NU kid that was from upstate NY, etc. The winning tradition doesn't hurt either. Also, being the only private university in the B1G, with a pretty hefty tuition, the student body I would imagine is more focused on other things than football. With the expansion of the conference and the negation of the divisions, NU has a very small chance of winning the B1G title realistically, and that fact would probably play a factor in the future fandom as well.

 

[hdhntr1]

I sat in the north stands for the first half, way at the top, and the south stands in the second half.

It was significantly better in the south stands. The wind was blowing hard and right through the north bleachers. It was quite comfortable in the south stands. Hardly a breeze. Lots of legroom.

I am rather certain that no fans left the south stands to sit in the north stands.

No but they might have gone into the tents behind the stands. Especially if they were broadcasting the game. Better view, could actually see what the time was and see replays

 

[hdhntr1]

I sort of reject the demographic thing. I’m not asking for people to through conniption fits and be complete headcases after the game. I AM asking for people to embrace the damn experience and stand up and do some mild shouting and clapping on third down. It really put me over the top in the second overtime on their and goal and 2pt plays right in front of us when I started screaming and trying to get those left around me to join and a group of undergrad age guys turned back and looked at me and laughed like I was making a funny joke that we should bother to try to make some noise, then when I pointed at them to stand up and was serious they were like oh, no, I’m not actually gonna do that.

Being rich and smart doesn’t have to mean being passionless.

Reject the demographic thing? It is still two weeks before classes start so basically no students. A big portion of the fans are older and just to get there these days is a chore. A Friday night game after a week of work and close to 11PM. NU had played pretty so so all night and you are expecting a lot of noise and energy out of that? Not really gonna happen

 

[hdhntr1]

I bristle at the windy and cold thing. Yes, it was very windy, but it was like 58 damn degrees. It was nice coolish summer evening weather. Just jeans and sweatshirt weather, nothing else.

Did not really feel that way

 

[hdhntr1]

There was a significant group of fans around me who after almost every offensive play yelled out "Hey, Mike!" and/or "I wanna be like Mike!" Eventually I figured out their meaning when they starting mixing in "Bajakian" and "*!$% Mike Bajakian." I suspect their behavior sort of fits with your "A lot of our fans are horrible" thesis, but they were plenty energetic (and well-lubricated).

Actually, those are probably the fans he wants. Nobody else does but I can see him wanting them