By David Carducci, Record-Courier
The jam-packed gold bleachers behind Kent State's bench shook as if they were hit by a seismic wave as students celebrated a 31-point win over Delaware State Saturday in the Golden Flashes' first home game of 2006.
It was a real Division I-A college-football atmosphere, but unfortunately it was limited to just the one small corner of Dix Stadium.
While the student section was filled to capacity with kids eager to embrace a team picked to contend for its first league championship in 35 years, the other three grandstands surrounding the playing field looked almost desolate.
An embarrassing opening-day crowd of just 8,455 filled Dix Stadium to just under 29-percent capacity.
The dreadful community showing left KSU head coach Doug Martin wondering what his team needs to do to finally pique the interest of fans living in and around Kent.
KSU has more than just a football program that is finally capable of winning a MAC title. It boasts an exciting team filled with playmakers who should have built up some equity in a season-opening win over a Big 12 school at Iowa State. The Golden Flashes hadn't enjoyed that kind of marquee win against a BCS program since 1987.
At least the students noticed.
"I want to thank our student section. They were unbelievable again," Martin said following the 38-7 win over Delaware State. "If the people of Kent, the community of Kent, would take a clue and follow this student body, we are going to have something really special here. If you are driving from Kent to go watch somebody else play, you are nuts. You've got a pretty good product here."
Lesser products in the Mid-American Conference have welcomed much larger crowds to their home stadiums already this season. Average home attendance for MAC schools in the season's first three weeks has been 21,270, and that does not include "home" games played at neutral sites like Cleveland Browns Stadium or Chicago's Soldier Field. Those are home games at campus sites.
Only lowly Eastern Michigan drew fewer fans for a home game this season when 5,794 showed up to see a Sept. 8 game in Ypsilanti. Other than KSU and Eastern's home openers, the smallest crowd in a MAC stadium was the 15,488 that showed in Muncie, Ind. to see Ball State beat Miami.
"I'm disappointed, but I'm still optimistic we will turn this around," said Kent State athletic director Laing Kennedy. "I think it's going to happen very soon with this team."
Kent State pointed to temperatures in the high-50s as one reason fans may have decided to stay home.
"Five degrees warmer and we probably have a bigger box office," said Kennedy. "This has always been a walk-up community, not a pre-sale community."
Playing a little known I-AA (Football Championship Subdivision) school like Delaware State also couldn't have helped. Of course, Ohio University enjoyed an opening-day crowd of 19,823 when it hosted Gardner-Webb on Sept. 1. Any fans out there know where Gardner Webb is? At least most middle-school students can find Delaware on a map.
Kennedy also acknowledged that the 4 p.m. start could have been a mistake because it forced fans to decide between going out to Dix Stadium or staying home to watch Ohio State at Washington on ESPN. Saturday would have been the first opportunity for most Northeast Ohio college football fans to see the Buckeyes on television. The first two OSU games were broadcast on the new Big Ten Network -- a channel not found on most local cable systems.
None of those factors excuse a crowd of 8,455.
This team deserves better.
"I'm disappointed for our players and for our administration," said Martin. "We've done such a great job with the improvements that have been made to this stadium. This is one of the nicest stadiums in the Mid-American Conference."
Saturday was the debut of the first stage of a multi-million dollar facelift to Dix Stadium that will completely change the look of the 38-year-old stadium by the start of the 2008 season.
"We have a great product here, and we are doing things the right way," said Martin. "Our players graduate. Our players are taking care of themselves. They are doing the right things. They are good kids.
"We could have something really special here as a community, something the community could have great pride in, just like the (men's) basketball team we have here. That is a source of great pride in the community, and this football program is going to be the same thing. We just need the people of Kent and the surrounding communities to get on board with us. We would welcome them."
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2007 MAC HOME GAMES AND ATTENDANCE -- Sept. 8, Indiana at Western Michigan, 32,129; Aug. 31, Navy at Temple, 30,368; Sept. 1, Purdue at Toledo, 26,100; Sept. 8, Southern Illinois at Northern Illinois, 24,182; Sept. 15, Cincinnati at Miami, 22,421; Sept. 8, Toledo at Central Michigan, 22,031; Sept. 15, Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois, 20,012; Sept. 1, Gardner-Webb at Ohio, 19,823; Aug. 31, Miami at Ball State, 15,488; Sept. 8, Buffalo at Temple, 15,629; Sept. 15, Delaware State at Kent State, 8,455; Sept. 8, Ball State at Eastern Michigan, 5,794.
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Howard University vs. Hampton University attendance was over 10,000 at Greene Stadium, Washington, DC for Howard's home opener. Let's see what the turnout will be for Howard at Eastern Michigan this weekend. Other than rivalry games and Classics, attendance is declining in the FCS as folks opt to watch from their computers, TVs or not at all. (beepbeep)
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