Tigerfan

I struggle more with Pat Skerry and the basketball team. We averaged 2,000 a game in the 1980's and played in a 1 bid league. 40 years later we still average 2,000 a game and play in a one bid league. Basketball is cheaper to run and we play in a great high school basketball area(DC/Balto).

You make good points but: I graduated in 1982 and we still draw the same in basketball or 2,000 a game. That is almost 40 years. Football draws about 2,000 more than 40 years ago. We have made very little progress in 40 years.

Have we tried everything possible to get the students to the games? How can Nova, Richmond and William & Mary draw the same in football as us with only 9,000 students? Both schools are in area's with plenty to do(Virginia Beach, Richmond and Philly).

That helps. How about a bonus program for the Athletic Department staff. If they increase student attendance a certain % they get a bonus.

That is one option. Would also have pep rally's with the team at the Colony, Donnybrook, Towson Place and other off campus apartments with tickets and free piizza/beer.

Until Towson realizes student attendance should be highest priority, we will never get great in football or basketball. Students who attend games will donate to the athletic department as alumni and come back as alumni/increase attendance. Our problem is lack of significant money to pay off poor coaches and get good coaches and landing great players. Empty stadiums do not land great players.

My problem with Tim Leonard is the following: 1, No increase in football and basketball attendance since he's been at Towson and enrollment has increased. In fact, student football attendance has really declined the last 3-4 years. 2. We pay $450k to $500k for Pat Skerry and we get a middle of the pack CAA team with no post season appearances. At some point, we need to aim better. My hope is when is contract is up we do not renew it. East Coast/ Balto/DC is known for B-Ball not football. Should we spend more money to get better?

I like playing 1 FBS team every year and an academic school (Ivy League or Patriot League team) every year.

Yes. Even our basketball attendance has dropped. We go from 10,000 students in the 1980's to 23,000 and we draw the same number of students? We also have 9,000 more students living within 2 miles of campus compared to the 1980's. School administration has done a poor job.

Bingo. I've decided our athletic department/administration needs help if they can only get 6,000 for Homecoming. The Homecoming crowd was the worse in 10-15 years.

Yes. It's sad Villanova is outdrawing us for football. They are a little bigger school than Loyola of Maryland. Only 9,000 students. Really have to blame it on Towson's athletic department and administration. A realistic crowd for Towson homecoming/Delaware game should be 10,000-15,000. .

We should decide if we want Skerry soon for the long run He is 67-57 In the CAA the last 7 years excluding his first year. Took over an awful team his first year. How long do you keep a coach than cannot make the NCAA or NIT. Worth taking a chance on someone else soon if no NCAA the next few years. Got to take a risk in hopes of making a big in basketball. Maryland is in the same boat with Turgeon. He has to make the sweet 16 this year in my opnion to extend his contract.

I agree with the Villanova comparison except for 2 things. Why can't we get better in basketball. There are great players around us. Should we settle for middle of the pack Skerry forever? Vilianova has about 9,000-10,000 students and we have 23,000 but we draw the same amount for football? The commuter excuse no longer exist with our 12,000 residential students. Still believe our administration is not promoting sports enough for basketball and football. 1,500 students-2,500 students for Delaware and Homecoming ?

I was thinking the Delaware game. They had maybe 1,500-2,000 students there. Was not at Homecoming but the total crowd was the worse for Homecoming in a long time(6,000). We use to get 8-10 thousand when Waddell was here.

My biggest concern with the athletic department is reaching the students. If they do not attend games, they will not come back as alumni and donate to the Athletic Department. The student crowds have really declined at the football games compared to the Terrence West years. There appears very little effort to promote the game to the students.