Reply To: Nice win

[lfnadminKeymaster]

Ten years ago, Delaware hosted Richmond and it was a very entertaining game between nationally-ranked teams and it was a crazy thriller that went to multiple OTs. The attendance was 21,187.

This year, Delaware hosted Richmond and it was a very entertaining game between nationally-ranked teams and it was a crazy thriller that went to multiple OTs. The attendance was 15,710.

Attendance at college football games is down across the country. It is my impression that more and more people are following college football than ever before, but fewer and fewer people are going to games. This is a systemic problem.

People still come to Lehigh/Lafayette because the game itself is an event. Not every game can elevate to that level of event, but more could be done to make the other regular-season games events. The best idea I’ve seen involves marching bands. Fordham’s game vs. Lehigh featured a local drumline from NJ that performed at halftime that everyone loved. Could Lehigh invite a local middle or high school marching band or drumline to perform at halftime to do something similar, or allow a local marching band to hang out and play alongside the Marching 97? Women’s hoops has that special day where local schools come out and watch their game, and that’s a tremendous idea that can and should be extended to a football game as well. Perhaps other promotions with local high school teams could also be considered – free admission? – which might be a good idea.

Lehigh football has been best when it’s worked hard to develop bonds with the local community. The closer that bond is, the more fans will show.