"Blackout Weekend" needs necessary changes in order to improve attendance, fan morale
This past weekend Ohio University hosted "Blackout Saturday," a day which featured a football game, a men's basketball scrimmage and volleyball taking on Toledo.
Bobcat fans were encouraged to purchase t-shirts in advance, in order to show solidarity and unity for the football game, as well as wear them for the rest of the day’s events. Though this seemed like a great idea at the time, most students in the stands were not wearing the shirt marketed for so many weeks.
The lack of fans wearing the advertised shirt could be attributed to a number of factors including the cold weather — it was a high of 54 degrees — and the cost of the shirt. The material of the "Blackout Saturday" t-shirt was relatively thin and was not exactly thermal for cold weather, leading many people to go with other, warmer clothing options.
Next, the timing of the football game was not ideal for a "blackout" amongst students. The game began at noon, the earliest start time for an Ohio football game this year. Because of this, there was a significant drop in attendance — 22,855 — in comparison to the homecoming game a week prior.
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If the football game would have been scheduled as a night game, barring if Ohio's TV contract would allow that, the "blackout" would’ve seen a better support among students. Students and fans alike would have more time to tailgate and prepare for the game, as generally, the theme of a blackout goes better with a night setting than middle of the day.
Also, the blackout could’ve seen a higher attendance against an opponent such as Marshall or Miami. These two teams are more familiar with the student fan base because of the rivalries the teams share, and thus, more students would be inclined to attend the game.
Regardless, "Blackout Saturday" is an exciting idea to encourage students and fans to support Ohio Athletics. It just needed to be reworked.
@edgeofcincy
