I've been in the AJC before, but they didn't bother to contact me for this article. Instead all around nice guy and former chapter head Mike Romaniello gets quoted. Mike recently got engaged, so he's on a roll.
Finally, a few people sent me notes about Mark Blaudschun's comments on BC fans in this article. For those who don't want to read the whole thing, here are the important quotes:
BC's 2-0 start has caught the attention of the voters in the polls. The Eagles made their initial appearance in the AP Top 25 at No. 21, and went from 25 to 19 in the coaches poll.
But what to make of the BC fans, who continue to arrive late and leave early?
If you want Top 25 respect, you have to act like a Top 25 program on the field and in the stands.
I don't care for Blaudschun but I understand what he is getting at. BC fans should do a better job staying for the whole game. The crowds have been good so far this year, but there is no reason to leave until the final whistle. I still think there is a mix of old BC fans who are more concerned with tailgating and traffic. I applaud the younger alumni and students who are doing a great job showing up, making noise and staying for the whole game. I've written about this before, but I think that as the Super Fans graduate the culture of BC sports will continue to change and change for the better. Me and many students mocked the SuperFans when they started 11 years ago, but we were wrong and part of the old BC mindset. The SuperFans are the future and are setting a great example.
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2 comments:
I was pleasantly suprised by the turnout for the superfan section for this last game. Many of the students who arrived late had lots of trouble getting a place to sit/stand, and the section itself did not empty out as quickly as the remainder of the stadium did during the 4th quarter. Perhaps people just wanted to yell at TOB, but it was nice to see a little dedication from the group as a whole.
Couldn't agree more with your analysis. I know the Globe routinely displays an anti-BC bias, but the crowds at Alumni for the WF and NC State match-ups have been great thus far, both in terms of energy and overall attendance.
You hit the nail on the head with the generational issue: though older fans are a bit more reticent, current students and alumni from from the past 10 years are indeed turning out in droves.
BC I think has more of a challenge with attendance than other schools, because the academic rigor of the school (thus creating professionals), the national base of the student body and the high cost of living in Boston causes many BC grads to scatter across the country, making weekly attendance more difficult than at other more regional universities.
Parking, traffic, limited tailgating, etc. forces the older fan base to favor early exists, but the "trickle-down-effect" of the superfan phenomenon as you articulated is just as pronounced as you speculated, definitely more than a casual fan watching on TV would ever know.
All in all, the future looks bright for the atmosphere in Alumni.
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