This is inaccurate.
He didn’t “lose” the fan base. The fans didn’t show up in 2018, 2019, 2020 or 2021.
He certainly hasn’t helped bring new fans to the stadium with his 3-win seasons. That’s for sure. But he never had the fans to lose.
We lost season ticket holders in a year when we changed our HC, it's a pretty hard thing to do I think. I don't follow other programs like that, but you'd think a new regime would bring an uptick in interest.
My personal malaise over the upcoming football season is partially due to not wanting to see any more ineptitude on the sidelines, but also the fact that many of my friends have just turned their back on the program. Covid gave some an excuse to avoid admitting they're getting too old to travel and/or our teenage antics are no longer as fun as they used to be, others a convenient excuse not to support the current regime. Some went downright hostile at the change due to real or perceived slights, disrespect of our former & returning student athletes coupled with the childishness dominating the media and seemingly the lack of a businesslike approach. We are a professional institute, not a glorified grammar school. It was unbecoming & when the results resembled the prevailing environment intentionally projected, it reinforced negative opinions. I hope this chages this season.
In any event regardless of how you view it, we lost long time fans & a large number. My friends committed to making their weekly pilgrammage to the Flats for fooball Saturdays has gone from a baseline of 100 in 1997, to 95 in 2002, to 90 in 2007, to 85 in 2012, to 80 in 2017, to 50 in 2019 to 25 in 2021 and now it's looking like 15. Yes, these are not exact numbers I have personally counted but they're fairly close guestimates. My group has dwindled and precipitously so. I believe 97 to 2017 just reflected what happens to people when they age, health deteriorates or they gain professional responsibilities that get in the way of old time activities & escapades.
I've been fortunate to upgrade season tickets twice the past 3 years with all the defections, but my original section was damn near barren last season. I go by to visit the stalwarts damn near every game, used to be I knew everybody within a couple rows up/down and about 10 seats left/right. I think out of those roughly 60 seat ticket holders I got to know over the years, there was about 10 left last year. I keep in touch with several & a couple more are bailing. Maybe it's still Covid, but I think that's just an excuse. It's not like the section was full or even half full.
I'm sure I'm not the only one that's experiencing what I'm experiencing. I'll still be there, all game every game. I just wish somehow, some day we'll regain what we've lost in the last 3 years.
