• Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
The Volante
The Volante
  • Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
Home
Sports
Football

Where’s the love?

October 23rd, 2012 Austin Ashlock Football, Sports comments

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

With a 10-3 lead over Western Illinois and a crowd of 10,200, the University of South Dakota football team had it all going for them heading into halftime of the Dakota Days game Oct. 6.

Little did they know that as they prepared for the second half, hundreds of USD student fans were filing out of the bleachers and walking out of the DakotaDome.

USD swiftly lost the lead, inevitably losing 24-17 to WIU.

The obvious lack of fan support as of late has left USD administrators scratching their heads, wondering, where exactly students are going?

For USD athletic director David Sayler the real question is: Why do the students leave?

“It has been a frustrating situation,” Sayler said. “Student support is essential to college teams, they bring the energy and the atmosphere teams use to thrive. We need them at home games.”

Assistant director of Student Life Lindsay Sparks said the issue needs to be addressed by both the university and its students.

“The university really does need to address it and figure out what’s going on,” Sparks said. “But I also think students need to make the commitment.”

Sophomore Austin Johnson said he has been baffled by the lack of student fan support.

“(The students) represent this school and when we don’t stay at games, it reflects negatively on the university,” said Johnson.

Sparks said in order to improve the lack of student support at athletic events, the question over why students are leaving must be answered.

“When I talk to students who regularly leave games, most of them tell me they leave because their friends are leaving,” Sparks said. “We are still puzzled over why exactly students don’t want to stay, and until we do know, we can’t give them what they want.”

Sayler said efforts to improve student involvement at athletic events has been attempting in the past.

“We have tried to give things away during games and we are playing very student heavy music, but nothing seems to stick,” said Sayler.

While Sayler and Spark’s guess as to why students are leaving are good as any ones, Johnson said it all boils down to one thing. Alcohol.

“A lot of (students) leave because there is no alcohol served at the DakotaDome,” Johnson said. “They lose their buzz and then leave to go drink again.”

Sparks said the university is aware that alcohol is a factor, but serving alcohol at games to solve retention is out of the question.

“The DakotaDome is owned by the university,” Sparks said. “So, while we know some students say alcohol would help keep people there, our hands our tied.”

However, the re-emergence of Coyote Crazies, a organization priding itself on  making their voices heard at USD athletics, could revitalize a lackluster athletic following.

“We’ve been working with a couple different students who want to bring Coyote Crazies back,” Sparks said. “Implementing a strong tradition with first-years, and maintaining that is very important.”

Head coach Joe Glenn said legacy of a fan base lies on the shoulders of the students.

“If students get to know their players and learn to cheer them on, then the longevity of the fan base will extend,” Glenn said.

As far as the university is concerned, Sayler said in order to improve the current situation, honesty is key.

“We need the students to be completely honest with us,” Sayler said. “We want them to tell us what they want to see at football games. If they are leaving because our team loses, or because there isn’t enough interaction, we want to know. Once we have a clear understanding at what is driving students away at halftime, we will being to work towards improving the experience as much as we can.”

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

Austin Ashlock

Related Posts

Lee tabbed Coach of the Year, seven players with All-Summit honors Men's Basketball
March 4th, 2021

Lee tabbed Coach of the Year, seven players with All-Summit honors

Coyote volleyball picks up pair of wins at SDSU Sports
March 2nd, 2021

Coyote volleyball picks up pair of wins at SDSU

Summit League Tournament Preview: Coyote men making adjustments Men's Basketball
March 2nd, 2021

Summit League Tournament Preview: Coyote men making adjustments

Facebook Comments

Latest Stories

Mar 4th 12:28 PM
Sports

Lee tabbed Coach of the Year, seven players with All-Summit honors

Mar 2nd 5:58 PM
Sports

Coyote volleyball picks up pair of wins at SDSU

Mar 2nd 5:18 PM
Campus

Sustainability department urges students to respond to dining surveys

Mar 2nd 4:19 PM
State/Local

Trans Rights March held in response to House Bill 1217

Mar 2nd 4:07 PM
Sports

Summit League Tournament Preview: Coyote men making adjustments

Mar 2nd 4:06 PM
Sports

Senior women’s basketball players make decisions on extra year of eligibility

Mar 2nd 2:56 PM
Sports

USD women’s basketball ready to make tournament run at the Pentagon

Mar 2nd 2:15 PM
Campus

SGA candidate team preps for voting day

Mar 2nd 1:13 PM
Sports

Coyotes place second, third at Indoor Track Summit League Championships

Mar 2nd 11:57 AM
Campus

USD Symphony Orchestra performs winter concert

Weather

Coyote News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K7ERfZmFOg

Advertisement

  • Home
  • Campus
  • State/Local
  • Sports
  • Verve
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
  • Back to top

The Volante

The Volante is the University of South Dakota’s independent student-run newspaper since 1887. Al Neuharth Media Center The Volante 555 N. Dakota Street Vermillion, SD 57069

Advertisement

About

  • About
  • Code of Ethics
  • History
  • Awards
  • Executive Staff
  • Jobs
  • Comment Policy
  • Advertise

Engage

  • Letters to the Editor
  • Contact Us
  • Submit an Overheard
  • Subscribe
  • Submit News Tips

Media Partners

  • Coyote News
  • KAOR 91.1
  • Media & Journalism Department
© The Volante 2015. All rights reserved.