Home away from home
Stadium needs to be closer to campus
By: Ryan Jackson
Issue date: 12/2/08 Section: Sports
Have you ever wondered why we have to travel half way to Clovis to watch a football game? Well I have, and I've asked a few people that very question.
Apparently back when they decided to build the stadium everybody thought that Clovis and Portales were going to merge into one town. In case you didn't know, that didn't happen.
Actually, from what some professors and alumni have told me, Blackwater Draw was supposed to be a high school stadium, well that explains some things. Then when the merger fell through Eastern bought the stadium for a steal.
Have you ever been to a home football game? Probably not, most of the freshmen did not go to a single game this season, and there are even upperclassmen who have not been to a single game.
Our football team may not be great, but neither was my high school's team, and those games were usually packed. However, not many people are going to drive into the middle of nowhere for a football game, especially for a team that does not make it worth their while.
So, I would like to submit for your consideration, that a new stadium should be built on that empty land over by Greyhound arena and the soccer fields. The school owns it, and it's in walking distance from the school.
However, this might be a chicken or the egg question. Will higher attendance lead to a more successful football team, or will a more successful football team lead to higher attendance? Personally I think it is a little of both, athletes thrive off the energy provided by the fans, but the casual fans only like to come when a win is likely.
People are less likely to come when the team doesn't win, and when the stadium is in the middle of nowhere.
However, the team's success depends on numerous deferent factors, the majority of which Eastern cannot control, but the stadium's location is a factor that can be controlled.
I decided to send an e-mail through WebCT to my classmates, asking if they would be more likely to attend more games if the stadium was closer.
Apparently back when they decided to build the stadium everybody thought that Clovis and Portales were going to merge into one town. In case you didn't know, that didn't happen.
Actually, from what some professors and alumni have told me, Blackwater Draw was supposed to be a high school stadium, well that explains some things. Then when the merger fell through Eastern bought the stadium for a steal.
Have you ever been to a home football game? Probably not, most of the freshmen did not go to a single game this season, and there are even upperclassmen who have not been to a single game.
Our football team may not be great, but neither was my high school's team, and those games were usually packed. However, not many people are going to drive into the middle of nowhere for a football game, especially for a team that does not make it worth their while.
So, I would like to submit for your consideration, that a new stadium should be built on that empty land over by Greyhound arena and the soccer fields. The school owns it, and it's in walking distance from the school.
However, this might be a chicken or the egg question. Will higher attendance lead to a more successful football team, or will a more successful football team lead to higher attendance? Personally I think it is a little of both, athletes thrive off the energy provided by the fans, but the casual fans only like to come when a win is likely.
People are less likely to come when the team doesn't win, and when the stadium is in the middle of nowhere.
However, the team's success depends on numerous deferent factors, the majority of which Eastern cannot control, but the stadium's location is a factor that can be controlled.
I decided to send an e-mail through WebCT to my classmates, asking if they would be more likely to attend more games if the stadium was closer.