It was something of a given anyways. Pitt had to cancel a home game with UCF — at the behest of the Big East — with the expectation of having TCU coming in 2012. Then they got a better offer to go straight to the Big 12. That was followed by losing the Backyard Brawl after WVU fled to the Big 12, and the Big East caved as expected. That left Pitt two holes to fill on the home slate at a very late point.
We knew Pitt wasn’t going to get a good team to go on the road that late. There just weren’t any other 1-A teams that had an open date — especially at the price Pitt could/would pay. And even if the Big East had somehow managed to get Boise St. to join this year — instead of the desperate Temple — you know part of the deal would have sent Pitt to the Smurf Turf.
So, now Pitt has a full schedule. Such as it is.
And the home slate sucks.
Youngstown State (1-AA) — September 1
Virginia Tech — September 15
Gardner-Webb (1-AA) — September 22
Rutgers
Louisville
Temple
And knowing the Big East, I think it is a safe bet that at least one of the conference home games will be a weekday event.
Selling tickets — season and individual — will be hard enough. Getting people to show up, even harder. I think the only choice is to offer beer sales — and maybe some vouchers.
I’m trying to think about how Pitt is going to gin up sales for this season. Horrid home schedule. It’s a complete lame-duck year before heading to the ACC. The team has a new head coach (again), but is likely to be led by a QB an overwhelming majority of the fanbase does not want to see out there. The odds are that most of the games will be nooners.
One of the few options is to give people that renew season tickets a nice bump in priority points — especially in the form of parking pass position. Not just for this season, but going forward. You want people to buy season tickets for this season? Give some assurances that they will be in a better position for decent parking spots.
So at least the Youngstown State and Gardner-Webb games can be in the evening.
Beating Virginia Tech would obviously be a huge boost, as it would give fans a reason to believe that there is potential with this group for the season.
Chas – how can we get your idea to the Athletic Dept so that there is at least some incentive to renew tickets? I’m quite sure that we could fit every single person that purchases season tickets this year into the Gold 1, 1a, & 2 lots…cuz at this rate there isn’t going to be many of us.
As for the ticket prices, they are still dirt cheap.
@ pittdiser: At most places, the I-AA game is more profitable than a road trip, which unfortunately more important.
I think most schools aspire to do better than 7-5 anyways, though it is certainly an easier sell than 6-6.
link to pittsburghpanthers.com
Just guessing, but it looks like Pitt will play a conference game on the road (week 2). If not, then there would be 4 straight home games.
Some of them attend the games also. Wrong place sir, you need to tell the so-so Pitt fans to attend, not the die hards, which is mostly who is on here.
So-so fans need wins and attractive games. Hopefully Chryst gets us wins, and this years schedule not withstanding (and it’s not Steve or Marks fault, just something we have to deal with), when we get to the ACC, with Miami, FSU, VT, Clemson coming, combine that with wins, you’ll have some good crowds.
Like it or not, especially for Pitt, to get decent crowds, you gotta win.
With this schedule coming up (again, not bitching, not blaming anyone), the truth is, it’s gonna be hard to big crowds other than Va. Tech.
The only way I could see decent crowds for the rest of the games, if Pitt comes out smokin’, beating peoples asses and winning.
If they beat Youngstown St. 21-17 and Gardner-Webb 28-24, gonna be a long season for ticket sales.
Now, unlike several predecessors, if they come out and spank these teams 55-7, might be able to generate a little buzz and the crowds will improve.
Hopefully Chryst can do it.
But I digress, Mike, you’re preachin’ to the choir on here!!!
One of the best games in recent memory was our last minute victory in VA Tech’s last visit here .. so looking forward to that game. Also, it should be Rutgers and Louisvile’s last game her for a long time. We owe RU a beating, and Lousiville may well be BE favorite this year. Temple is an old but familiar in-state foe. So we just have to make the best of it.
If they could beat YSU, upset a Va Tech, and pound Gardner-Webb, it would make those other games that much more exciting.
I’m really looking forward to see the coaching staff and what they can do with the new players and the letterman.
As bad as the schedule may be, really, probably a reprieve to not have Miami, FSU, Clemson etc. etc.
Va Tech and ND should be good tests. As will Louisville etc. etc.
Just hope they get off to a good start!!!
if pitt was smart they would tarp upper endzone, upper corners as well on the vistors side and MAKE the people move to the lower bowl. it will look alot better and prob be louder considering all the fans are togther…
I actually encourage to come, we need them.
You know, if they don’t have any ties to Pitt, or no one in there family has gone there, or they didn’t go etc. etc., then, if we don’t win, and don’t have an attractive schedule, hard to get them to come.
They need a reason to get excited.
Hell, I’m a fair weather Pirate fan. I admit it.
This is pretty simple I know, but, the way I’ve always seen it, we have about 20-25k core fans that go to the games.
Then I’d say, you have about 10k that are certainly Pitt fans, if the team is ok, half decent opponent, they go, so you have 35k-40k.
If the team is doing well, ND or PSU or another big time opponent then you get the other 15k from casual fans and fans of the other teams.
Anyhow, your point is well taken, and I’m pretty optimistic, if Chryst can start winning, and we get an ACC schedule, with ND and PSU on it every other year, good things are ahead for Pitt football.
Will we ever get 65k for every home game, no.
Would be nice to see 45-55k for most games, 65k for Miami, FSU, Clemson, ND and PSU.
***I do like the tarp idea. Those yellow seats stand out, cover the end zone, and say 15-20 rows at the top of both sides***
here’s what I mean.
Youngstown State 1-AA- For what it’s worth, if you’re going to play a subdivision football team, they are one of the best. Their head coach is a stud recruiter and their offense should be pretty solid this year. Solid senior RB, and a junior QB who looks to improve. Plus, they were the only team to beat the 1-AA champions last year. Good test/start to the season for a new HC and offensive/defensive system IMO.
Virginia Tech- Good home game and probably one of the best. Again a good test as well as a look into the future of the ACC Coastal Division and the past Big East former member.
Gardner-Webb 1-AA- don’t really know what to say here but this is an issue regarding the continued ineptitude of BE leadership and TCU WVU bolting. Could be a nice game for confidence building and tailgating in your home stadium parking lot whatever the time is always a good thing.
Louisville + UConn–
Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t Louisville and Rutgers supposed to be the best teams in the BE this year?? Pitt notwithstanding. Seems to me we got the “best” teams albeit in a watered down conference at home. Not terrible.
Temple- not great by any means. not a good draw. Hopefully a “W”
Anyways, looking at it like this, the schedule could have been far far worse. It’s not good, but perhaps acceptable for a jumbled situation in a transitional year. H2P!
Allow beer sales during games, skip the booze. It’ll certainly encourage the fair weather fans to stay in the stadium longer when we are up by 35 at half against GW. Oh…it makes $$$ too.
The ticket prices are fine where they are. (look at what other BCS schools charge)
Also “throw us a bone” and forget the nooners. The ONLY reason for a noon game is TV, and there isn’t a network on earth that wants to broadcast Pitt vs GW at noon in late September. Tailgaters HATE noon games, we have to get up too early, 2pm works sooo much better.
There sure isn’t a whole lot of incentive for a nine hour round trip drive to watch most of these games, is there?
The Pitt grads i.e. faithful fans, do not and never did show up for games unless there was a buzz around the program. Oh they buy tickets but their seats are almost always empty. They don’t even give them to someone who may use them. Not sayin anyone on this blog, but if you know these people get them to attend.
Another thing, for years I tried to move my seats to the Gold sections and was told I could not because they are taken. Yeah right.
There were many years where GA Tech couldn’t match-up with Georgia and was a heavy underdog, but the game went on and will continue being played in perpetuity.
PA powers that be should mandate that these games be played annually. Of course, my vote never counts.
For years, Georgia fans would buy GA Tech season tickets and toss all games or sell the tickets, if they could, except for the GA game. But I don’t think this scenario plays for Pitt.
By the way, my DAD is 83 years old and attends every game with me.
Pitt ticket office has always been run like a university office, instead of a business, that knows how to handle customers, and customer issues.
Duquesne doesn’t offer enough football scholarships to compete against FBS teams. I believe the NEC conference is upping their scholarship limit (it’s now at 35 scholarships per team), but as it is the NCAA won’t let NEC teams compete against FBS. I’m not sure what the FCS scholarship minimum is to compete against the upper division – I think that in order to play up teams need to fill 57 scholarships in a given year.
I like that Duquesne is putting more into their football – I want to believe they are positioning themselves to schedule a few FBS teams.
“Just win baby.”
Everything else will take care of itself.