Biggest message from Tilman tonight... We're under a Microscope

Cougar Football
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At the Cougar Pride event tonight, Tilman made a point to say… Yes the Big12 is looking at us, but “we’re under a microscope.”

Basically, he said that even if we lose the first game… WE CANNOT HAVE A DROP OFF IN ATTENDANCE WHEN WE PLAY LAMAR. Essentially, he said that Big12 teams have fan bases that support the team win or lose… the Big12 will be watching how our fans react.

It’s a no brainer that it will be sold out if we beat Oklahoma… but if we lose that game, we still have to get people to fill up the stadium for Lamar. We’re under a microscope, and the Big12 is watching.

Hopefully, we beat OU and this is all moot…

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lol if it ain’t one thing it’s another. Fudge that conference, I swear.

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Essentially, he said that Big12 teams have fan bases that support the team win or lose… the Big12 will be watching how our fans react.

That is not how Houston works. This will never be Houston. As long as we are located in a huge city their will be a large variation in our attendance week to week.

The reality is UH has 25K-30K die hard fans that will go to every game come hell or high water. The key is to grow that number, which takes more time than we have at the moment.

If the Big 12 extends an invite to UH, it will be because Texas politicians gave the northern Big 12 an ultimatum. Expand with UH or don’t expand at all and watch your conference implode in 6-8 years.

When their are hundreds of entertainment options in a city, you don’t spend your hard earned money because you feel obligated. You spend that money to be entertained and have a good time, UH alum or not.

If you are casual UH fan who has xx amount of dollars to spend on Saturday fun, you have a lot of choices. Playing Lamar is not going to move the needle.

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Crowds that support teams win or lose? Lol - good one.

Yeah, we need to show up, but it’s not because they always do.

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Makes the decision to kickoff this game at 11:00 am even more idiotic. Good luck with that.

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Also, I find it hard to believe our conference hopes our hinging on one game against an FCS schools.

Let’s say you are KSU, KU, OSU, ISU, or WVU. If I am voting YES for UH to be in the Big 12, that means I am voting for a school with high upside. UH is that football player that gets drafted in the first round because of measurables, but has yet to put it all together.

Here is the problem. If you are one the presidents for the schools above, you have a question to ask yourself. Do I want to add a school with the potential to pass me up in athletics, or add the safe pick with limited upside. BYU and Cincy will never be more than what they are, which is solid. BYU and Cincy are similar to the WVU addition. While UH is similar to TCU, and I don’t think those schools want another TCU.

The WVU guy makes a fair point, is the UH addition worth a GOR extension? I think it is a no-brainer, secure the long term financial stability of the athletic/marketing arm of the university. Vote YES for UH and make the leader of the conference (UT) happy.

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I am sure Tilman is right. The truth is that no P5 conference will invite a team that doesn’t bring ~40K fans per game, regardless of the name of the opponent. And, so we’re on the clock and under a microscope. We need to do it now!!!

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Even UT or OU would struggle to fill up for Lamar, regardless of record.

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True, but the difference is that UT or OU or ATM or LSU would have 80,000+ for a home game with Lamar.

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Thankfully we are not competing with those schools.

We are competing against BYU and Cincy.

And to a lesser extent, the 8 Big 12 schools that are not UT and OU.

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you want to talk about the Lamar game? What was Baylor’s attendance when they played Lamar? That is the target we should try to meet.

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B12 fans don’t always show up for their football games. Kansas couldn’t have had 20k in the stands for their game against Baylor last season. That game was so lopsided that the Fox announcers were saying on air that games such as the one they were announcing should be shortened upon the mutual consent of the opposing coaches. Essentially a mercy rule for college football. Simply pathetic.

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44,491 was the attendance for the bu lamar game.

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There’s no way that many people were in the stands for that game.

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Here is a writeup on Texas vs. OKSt “crowd” last year.

Article about TCU in 2013–

Most teams have problems when their team is less than successful.

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There is clearly a double standard at play here. Some of the above comments address this nicely, but make no mistake. There are those in the Big 12 who will use the flimsiest pretext to undermine our application to the conference. We just have to insist that those who support us stand their ground. No one said this would be simple or easy.

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Been reading through the replies to Tilman’s message. This must be said but it should be nothing new to those following this story. UH’s biggest negative is fan attendance. They should be giving away tickets if needed to fill the stadium against Lamar. It’s an 11:00 kickoff. The student section can usually be counted on to show up. I say let them sit in any empty seats after the first quarter to help fill out the stadium. I am a season ticket holder and will be there. This is urgent and imperative that we have strong fan attendance the whole season. Spread the word on fb, etc…

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I agree 100%. It’s not about total people, but more about capacity percentage.

We need to average as close to 100% occupancy as possible. Empty seats is the last thing opposing fans can harp on.

The athletic department is making a huge mistake if they turn away anyone.

When you average 33,500 fans (84%) in your best season in 20 years, it is not the time to be greedy.

Making the seating more exclusive should only happen AFTER we are 95-100% for a year IMO.

I’m hoping for 36K at the Lamar game. I feel like we should not drop below 90% for any game this year with the team we have. And luckily no Texans games at the same time as our games this year.

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I hear what you’re saying but it’s not for long. We need to play along. The difference in revenue between the Big12 and the AAC is huge. It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out how to spend that extra money. Keeping great coaches would be a big start.

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I think they should give away tickets for the Lamar game. One time only deal just to fill up the stadium.