In 2001, after 47 years in NCAA Division I-AA play under the Ohio Valley Conference, the Middle Tennessee football program was officially granted Division I-A status and became a member of the Sun Belt Conference.
All sports jargon aside, MT was simply ready for bigger and better things. During their time in the OVC, the Blue Raiders snagged 11 league titles, qualified for the I-AA playoffs, and made an appearance in four bowl games.
Additionally, during MT's final season in Division I-AA Floyd Stadium was drawing an impressive crowd, with an average of 21,816 in paid attendance.
After two years in NCAA limbo and nearly four completed seasons in Division I-A, the MT athletic department is now facing the fact that although Floyd Stadium is larger, the crowd has actually grown smaller.
On August 5, 2004, the NCAA announced that all Division I-A schools must have an average of 15,000 people in attendance or face losing the coveted I-A status.
Through four home games this season, the Blue Raiders are averaging 13,024 fans per game.
The Money Issue
What's so great about Division I-A anyway? Sure, the media recognition is great, more athlete scholarships are wonderful, but let's face it: Division I-A status is important because schools receive portions of the revenue generated by the NCAA's media contracts. In many cases this is about $150,000, as quoted by Binghamton University, a non-football school currently seeking I-A status.
The costs of I-A status include stadium renovations to accommodate higher seating capacity requirements and an increase in the amount spent on athletic scholarships to meet NCAA regulations, to name a few.
MT is also spending large amounts on publicity and entertainment at games to draw in the fans. This includes the $82,000 MT spent on rapper Big Boi, which only ended up drawing 13,931 fans.
With that in mind, Sidelines conducted a poll of 223 students (1 percent of the student population at MTSU) to find out how much students care about MT football and why they attend football games - or why they don't.
Student Awareness
Less than half of those surveyed (47 percent) had attended an MT football game this season, and 38 percent of total participants intended to attend the final home game.
Despite these low numbers, 74 percent of those surveyed knew of the NCAA attendance regulations and the risk of losing I-A status.
Only 10 percent of students surveyed were able to identify the starting quarterback, and that may be a generous number. Any answer that sounded remotely like Clint Marks was counted. Unfortunately, "that left-handed guy" and "he sits next to me in class" couldn't be included.
Fifty-four percent of students were able to correctly identify Floyd Stadium, although Murphy Stadium, Miller Coliseum, Blue Raider Field and "MT-o-Dome" had impressive showings as well.
The numbers look a little more promising when only those that have attended a football game this year are counted. Of football attendees, 63 percent knew the name of stadium, but only 20 percent knew who the MT quarterback was.
Losing Team and Rivalry Theories
It is generally accepted in society that most people enjoy winning and don't enjoy losing. But with a 4-5 record, MT is winning almost half the time. This does not directly explain poor attendance.
Vanderbilt has not had a winning record since 1982, but the Commodores consistently average more than 20,000 fans a game. Why? Because of opposing team turnout.
One glance at the Vanderbilt Stadium on a Vandy-Tennessee game day proves the theory. Sure, maybe a section or two will have some black and gold speckled about, but the overwhelming color is Knoxville orange.
"We've got a good team; we've played some large teams in the past, but this year there aren't any," sophomore aerospace major Tom Ritter said.
Schools depend on rivalries to generate revenue. The Blue Raiders currently lack that strong rivalry. The Blue Raiders will face Troy in the final game of the season this year in the first annual "Battle for the Palladium" in an attempt to build a rivalry, but that game is at Troy this season.
Western Kentucky is usually a strong MT foe in other sports, but WKU plays I-AA football.
The Time Issue
Work, work, work. For many students, working on the weekend is the only option. Two p.m. games on Saturday afternoon games are simply not very convenient to many of those we spoke to who comprise the working population of the student body.
Other schools are facing the same problems. Miami of Ohio football was recently faced with dwindling numbers, though nothing near to MT's dilemma.
"What we discovered last year and this year is that the students like night games, and they're the largest single entity we market to," Miami athletic director Brad Bates told the MU Enquirer. "Also, we're finding that our 30- to 40-year-old alums who have kids have Saturday morning and afternoon activities and can't make afternoon games."
The Slippery Slope
MT seems to be doomed to a downward spiral in football attendance. Many students polled attend games to socialize, but after hearing about dwindling attendance, those students could also lose interest.
Some students suggested a winning season would do the trick. Other students seemed determined to stay away from the football team at all costs.
"I'm not a football fan, and there's just about nothing MTSU could do to get me to a game," sophomore foreign language major Christine Peterson wrote. "I actually resent greatly all the money spent on gags to attract students to attend games. If the average is low, take a hint!"
The fate of the team's status is in the hands of its supporters and students. If MT fails to average 15,000 fans next season, the team will begin a probation period that may lead to a lowering of division status within the next ten years.
Students know about the jeopardy of the school's I-A status. The question now is, do they care?
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