By
Denny O'Brien
©2009 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.
Something pretty
significant is about to happen at East Carolina. For the second
consecutive year, ECU will sell its entire allotment of season football
tickets, an important milestone with strategic implications.
That, as much as a
conference championship and three-consecutive bowl appearances,
demonstrates how far the program has advanced since AD Terry Holland and
head coach Skip Holtz first stepped on campus.
There is no question that
a correlation can be made from the program’s success on the field to its
increased popularity at the box office. It’s really not too difficult to
sell a quality product.
And you can’t deny that
the scheduling philosophy Holland unveiled several years ago is having a
positive impact on ticket sales. When you have North Carolina, N.C.
State, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia visiting on a semi-regular
basis, it certainly grabs the attention of a fan base always eager to
make a statement.
But as much as success and
scheduling have made ECU a hot ticket in the fall, you can’t overlook
what perhaps is more important than big wins or attractive opponents.
There seems to be a revived relationship between the Pirates and their
fans, and much of it can be attributed to a younger generation that is
quickly increasing in numbers.
This burgeoning armada of
Pirates was a missing piece in the ECU support network for years. Though
East Carolina has always been praised for its enthusiastic fans, much of
the deep-seeded passion resided in a segment of diehards who witnessed
the relentless work of former Chancellor Leo Jenkins on both the
academic and athletic fronts.
Jenkins' vision instilled
both pride and belief. Fans sacrificially supported that vision with
generous donations, faithful attendance, and a 100 percent emotional
investment in Jenkins‘ inspirational rhetoric.
You even got the sense
that they’d attend a bowl game in Anchorage if the Pirates were invited.
But for whatever reason,
the intensity of their passion largely missed a generation. Though there
have been isolated pockets of parallel fervor, the current climate has a
more permanent feel.
Especially when East
Carolina is posting sellouts for Conference USA opponents.
It’s one thing to have
standing room only for a nationally televised game against West
Virginia, but to have it against Houston or Marshall is a giant step
forward for ECU.
It’s a strong sign that
ECU’s fans as a whole have made a major transition. Instead of trekking
to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to check out a high-profile opponent, the
commitment is no longer contingent on who occupies the opposing
sideline.
This has been most evident
in the ECU student section, where the football game isn’t just an after
party to earlier tailgating festivities. It should be fairly obvious
that this is the makings of a core group of faithful followers, who,
together with Holtz and the players, form quite a chorus at the
conclusion of every home win.
While it’s hard to compare
the traditions at East Carolina with Ohio State or Tennessee, you have
to admit that the Pirates‘ postgame parade to the student section is
pretty special.
Now as ECU approaches its
second sellout season in as many years, you have to appreciate the
timing of achieving such a milestone. With stadium expansion now in
wait-and-see mode, fans can make a statement by displaying a true need
for more seats overlooking Bagwell Field.
If there is weekly
evidence that the supply of seats does not accommodate the demand, that
should put expansion on a faster track. That’s especially the case if
the verbal demand for more seats is accompanied by open checkbooks.
Just as important is the
fact that fans can make a strong statement in ECU’s favor should the Big
East ever decide to add a new football member. Of the potential
candidates in such a scenario, East Carolina definitely holds the edge
in fan support.
You can’t overlook the
importance of having that on the résumé. Schools with fans that travel
are a valuable commodity when leagues negotiate bowl contracts.
And East Carolina’s fans
are definitely a commodity. Their commitment to consistently fill Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium is another sign that ECU is marching forward.