Fan support has always been a problem for IU football.
They come to tailgate, but whether or not they stay for the entire game, especially against lesser opponents, is a concern.
IU will always be a basketball school. That’s a fact, but the football team’s fan base can still grow as the program continues to develop.
[COLUMN: Football fans need to make up their minds | Jamie Zega - IDS]
At the Ball State game Sept. 10, fan attendance for the beginning of the game seemed strong, but it waned in the second half as IU’s offense stalled.
With Wake Forest coming in on Saturday at 3-0, IU fans should have a good matchup to watch.
“It’s going to be on BTN, should have a good crowd and encourage the fans to stay with us and stay behind us all the way down the stretch,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said. “It has a chance to be a stretch game. Our last six games, we’ve won four and lost two in double overtime. So, why don’t we hang around for four quarters and see what happens?”
IU’s explosive offense and tendency to play close games makes it a fun team to watch, but that combination hasn’t resulted in steady fan presence.
Attendance could improve as the season continues, especially if IU continues to play well, but the Hoosiers have to win to build excitement.
“I’m not complaining about it,” Wilson said. “But the great thing about a home crowd is the energy of the fans. You’d love to have second-half energy. Same time, the football team has to create their own. The fans aren’t going to cheer if you don’t make plays.”
A strong home crowd can help the team, but even with the up-and-down support, IU has played well at home in recent years. It’s a factor, but probably not a deciding factor in the games.
“If you buy a good enough cooler, that stuff will stay cold for you,” Wilson said. “Let’s ride out the second half.”
The fans trickled out late in the third quarter as the game ground to a halt. IU won, but it wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t something fans wanted to stay for.
IU can add all the bells and whistles it wants inside the stadium, but getting the fans to stay comes down to the product on the field.
Winning consistently will help. Making a bowl game was a good step in establishing IU as a program fans can count on, but the next step is winning consistently and knocking off some of the premier Big Ten teams.
Fans are inherently fickle. If you win, they will come.
aphussey@indiana.edu @thehussnetwork
